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AUTHOR: 


ANDREWS,  GIBSON 
CALLAWAY 


TITLE: 


THE  STORY  OF 
CREATION 

PLACE: 

GREENVILLE 

DA  TE : 

[1 902] 


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-THE 


',v  •*■-." 


STORY  OF   CREATION. 


BY  GIBSON  C.  ANDRBWS. 

Written  in  the  Year  oT  Our  Lord  1900, 


To  Thi:  Rj:ai)i:k: 

Wlien  you  read  i\  i^ood  book,  rend  in  syin- 
ptUhy  with  the  author.  If  you  read  a 
bad   one,  read   with    a    critieal    judi^iuent. 

The  Authok, 


Copyrijzht  by  the  Author. 


PKINTKI)  BY    r.    n.   WOIM),  AT  THK  VINOKATOR 
.lOK    Ol'KM'K,  (iUKKNYn.LK,  OA. 


■I 


i 


Entered  aceordiris:  to  Act  of  Congress  in  the  year  1900,  by  Gib- 
son (Jallaway  Andrews,  in  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at 
Washington.     All  rights  reserved. 


^1 


I 


i 


t  c;  V 


INDEX  TO  PARTS  TWO  AND  THREE. 


PART  TWO. 

Chapter  I.     Seen  in  Ourselves 54 

Cliapter  II.     Everytliing  was  Perfect  at  its  Finislied  Oeatiou     .  55 

Chapter  III.     The  Earth  Never  Grew — Ever  Looks  Young 58 

Chapter  IV.     Testinionv  From  Rocks,  Coral  and  ^Creatures 00 

Chapter  V.     All  His  Works  Are  Ever  Perfect 65 

Cliapter  VI.     The  Irrepressible  Conflict  Between  Man  and  Beast .  09 

Cliapter  VIL     Fossils  of  Plants,  and  of  Animals TS 

Chapter  VIII.     Glacial  and  Diluvial  Periods  of  (xcology 77 

Chapter  IX.     Formation  of  the  Coal  Measures 79 

Chapter  X.     All  Species  of  Flowers  Lived  at  and  Before  the  Coal 

Periods  of  Geology 83 

Chapter  XL    The  Closest  Parallel  Between  Scripture  and  Geology  84 
Chapter  XII.  Fossils  are  Exceptions  to  the  Regular  course  of 

Nature 90 

Chapter  XIII.  Science  and  Philosophy  Do  Not  Show  the  Begin- 
ning    91 

Chapter  XIV.     Species 95 

Chapter  XV.     Species  Immutable 100 

Chapter  XVI.     Evolution  has  no  Support  in  Nature 105 

Chapter  XVII.     Evolution  is  Contrary  to  Nature 109 

Chapter  XVIII.     The  Bible  and  Nature  Agree 114 

Chapter  XIX.     Instinct  and.  Reason 118 

Chapter  XX.     Instinct,  Reason,  Faith 120 

Chapter  XXI.     Man  is  the  Tliinker 123 

Chapter  XXII.     The  Higlier  Critics 126 

Chapter  XXIII.     Higher  Critics  Again ISO 

Cliapter  XXIV.      Inconsistency 135 

Chapter  XXV.     Hereditv 137 

Chapter  XXVI.     His  Wisdom  and  Goodness  Seen  in  Nature. ...  140 

Chapter  XXVII.     Beauty 143 

Chapter  XXVIII.     Everytliing  Useful  in  its  Proper  Place 147 

Chapter  XXIX.     Epilogue 151 

Chapter  XXX.     The  Application 154 

PART  THREE. 
Chapter  I.     Civilization  and  Human  History  Coeval  With  The 

Creation  of  Man 1^»0 

Chapter  II.     The  Hebrew  From  Adam  Has  Always  Had  His  His- 
tory and  His  Civilization  Too 166 

Chapter  III.     The  Woi-shippers  of  God  Never  Had  Any  "Stone 

Age." 169 

Chapter  IV.     Idolatry  Caused  Decline  in  Civilization  la 

Chapter  V.     The  Hebrews  Preserved  History  and  Civilization ...  173 

Chapter  VI.     General  Decline  in  the  Rest  of  Mankind 170 

Chapter  VII.     Armageddon  a  Bloodless  Victory  .179 

Chapter  VIII.     Confucius  and  Virgil  Looked  Back  to  a  Golden 

Pji^g^  182 

Chapter  IX.     Confucius  and  Virgil   Witness  to  the  Decline.  ...  187 

Chapter  X.    The  Hebrew  the  Original  Language n,.    ^^^ 

Chapter  XL    Nature  of  the  First  Priesthood  and  of  the  tirst 

Government  on  Earth ; 195 

Chapter  XII.     Return  From  tike  Decline  in  Civilization  ^01 
Chapter  XIII.     As  Ancient  History— so  Does  Ancient  Art  Cor- 
roborate the  Bible ^y* 

Chapter  XIV.    The  Same f^: 

Chapter  XV.     General  Application  '-^ ' 

344331. 

V 


^ 


<f^ 


Cliapter  XVI.    Superiority  of  Christian  Refinement 221 

Cliapter  XVII.     Inimortality  Illustrated  in  Nature 223 

Cliapter  XVIII.     When  Immortality  Was  Frst  Revealed  to  Man  230 
Cliapter  XIX.     Epiloj^ue 232 

NEARLY  READY. 

Sepi'kmkkk  (),  IJKH.— We  have  read  the  proofs  of  the  book  as 
Mr.  Word  has  set  them  up  and  Jiave  found  the  work  timely,  in- 
structive and  well  written.  It  is  just  such  a  plain,  forcible, 
common  sense  book  as  the  times  demand.  It  meets  many  un- 
scriptural  but  popular  heresies  of  the  times  in  a  way  that  appeals 
most  stroncjly  to  the  sober  thou^^dit  and  sound  jud^nnent  of  the 
learned  and  unlearned.  The  fads  of  the  Hi<rher  Critics  and 
plausible  evolutionists  are  exposed  by  calm  and  convincin^tr 
ar^niment  and  research.  The  story  of  creation  ^iven  in  the 
Bible  by  Moses  is  amplified  on  Scriptural  lines  and  made  so 
clear  and  entertaininnr  that  all  false  doctrines  concerning  rhe 
orio:jn  of  Species  are  overwhelminjrlv  upset.  We  are  surprised 
at  the  enlarcred  scope  of  this  truly  wonderful  book. 

Printed  at  the  Vindicator  Office,  written  bv  our  nei<-hbor  and 
meetin-  the  wants  of  the  day  and  a-e,  all  ou-ht  to  purchase  a 
copy.— W  .  T.  Rkvill,  in  Meriwether  Vindicator. 

Dear  Editor:  Permit  me  to  call  attention  to  Brother  Gib- 
son 0.  Andrews  book,  which  has  recently  been  published  for 
the  author  by  the  local  press  of  Greenville,  Geor-ia.  Brother 
Andrews  has  bestowed  much  labor  and  research  on  this  book 
and  has  succeeded  in  producing,  a  very  unique  and  interesting 
treatise.     It  is  entitled  "The  Story  of  Creation,-  and  Brother 

faith  in  the  plenary  inspiration  of  the  Scriptures,  showin-  the 

throuSt  "''"'  '"'  "'''"'''  "'''  ''"  "^^  '''^^''^ 
mvit''^  emitains  231}  pac,es.  is  well  printed,  and  is  sold  for 
hfty  cents.  It  will  be  sent  post-paid  to  any  one  who  will  send 
a  money  order  for  oU  cents  to  Rev.  G.  C.  Andrews.  Green^e 
Georgia.  Having  read  the  book,  I  do  not  hesitate  to  commend 
It  to  the  re^aders  of  the  Wesleyan,  and  especially  to  theTenHi 
ers  of  our  Conference.— Ri:v  W  F  Cnov  n  n  ^'Z  ^'l^.P^^'^^'i" 
Christian  Advocate,  Atlanta,  Ga.    '     "^^^^  ^^'  ^^^  ^"   ^^  esleyan 

STORY  OF  CREATION 

Nov.  25, 1901.  "if,,;;;';  r;;  1^  o^you.'"''^""'' ''  ^"■"<''  ^^-^-^ 


». 


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(" 


I 


)  •' 


Testimonials. 


^  ^  ^  ^ 

The  American  Illustrated  Methodist  Magazine,  June 
Number,  1902,  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  under  the  head  of 
Reviews,  says  : 

"Gibson  C.  Andrews'  "The  Story  of  Creation."— The  writer  of  this 
book,  the  work  of  a  life  time  (Vindicator  Job  Office,  Greenville,  Ga.),  is  a 
stout  defender  of  an  unmutilated  and  nnimi)eachable  Bible.  I'or  Darwin 
and  evolution  he  has  no  use  whatever.  As  he  states  in  his  Epilogue,  with 
an  evident  feeling  of  triumph : 

"If  to  get  to  their  strategic  point,  the  Darwins  have  to  reverse  all  na- 
ture, and  then  fail;  for  the  only  fact  of  a  sub-species  being  introduced— 
the  ape  species— for  this  is  the  only  sub-species,  if  it  be  one,  that  has  yet 
been  found ;  all  the  others  they  write  about  are  only  supposed  to  have 
been— what  becomes  of  their  evolutionary  chain  of  being?"  His  closing 
paragraph  shows  the  literary  and  intellectual  value  of  the  treatise  : 

"Such  are  the  silent  lessons  of  nature  all  about  us,  as  in  the  Word  of 
God  plainly  writ.  And  if  Christian  scholars  should  yield  any  part  of 
Bible  ground  to  the  enemy  the  rest  would  be  less  easy  to  defend ;  but  if 
all  is  held  as  the  Divine  Author  has  given  it  to  us,  every  part  of  it  is 
easily  defended. 

"Now  let  the  critics  stop  a  bit, 
To  consider  the  teachings  of  Holy  Writ ; 
Then  they  will  face  about, 
And  admit  the  case  is  made  out," 

/^  ^  ^ 

Rev.  R.  0.  Smith,  of  Gainesville,  Ga.,  June   22,  1902, 
writes  : 

My  Dear  Bro.  Andrews.  -  From  a  casual  examination  of  your  new 
work,  in  which  you  magnify  the  works  of  God  and  set  forth  in  their  true 
light  the  misleading  and  dangerous  sophistries  of  evolutionists  and  agnos- 
tics, I  discover  that  it  takes  its  place  with  the  timely  writings  which  go 
to  make  up  the  "Gospel  for  a  world  of  doubt."  I  am  quite  sure  no  im- 
partial reader  can  peruse  your  book  without  most  heartily  endorsmg  your 
arguments.  Your  work  is  unusual,  to  say  the  least,  and  will,  I  believe,  be 
of  great  interest  and  service  to  a  large  class  of  readers.  The  price  is  very 
reasonable,  so  much  so,  indeed,  that  I  can  hardly  see  how  it  can  be  sold  at 
a  profit  for  so  small  a  sum.  Very  truly, 

R.  O.  Smith. 


/ 


/ 


V 


J 


> 


( 


NEW  BOOK  READY. 


(^RKEXviLLK,  (Ia.,  Oct.  2;"),  1901— ''The  Stokv  of  Okeatiox,"  the 
new  book  b}-  Rov.  (t.  0.  Andrews,  has  just  been  issued  from  the  office 
of  tlie  ViXDK'ATOR  and  Is  ready  for  tlie  reading  public.  Written  by 
one  of  our  most  cultured  citizens  and  printed  at  home,  ought  to  re- 
commend tlie  work  to  tlie  patronage  of  our  people.  But  this  is  not 
its  only  recommendation.  The  contents  of  the  book  are  such  as  to 
engage  the  attention  and  arouse  the  interest  of  the  reader.  The  first 
part  treats  of  (Jod's  work  in  Creation,  day  by  day,  in  a  captivating 
style,  attractive  and  easy.  Part  second  shows  the  agreement  of  na- 
ture with  the  Bible  narrative  of  Creation.  Part  third  is  a  discussiofi 
of  the  so  called  theory  of  ''prehistoric  times  and  dawn  of  civiliza- 
tion.'' The  theories  of  the  age  of  the  world  being  older  than  the 
Bible  chronoloLO',  are  refuted  ii*i  a  convincing,  logical  and  familiar 
style.  The  whole  book  abounds  in  Bible  quotations  to  sustain  every 
point  made.  While  the  work  shows  great  research  and  familiarity 
with  the  Bible,  it  will  greatly  interest  the  general  reader. 

The  book  contains  2JJ:J  pages,  is  well  printed  and  is  sold  for  lifty 
cents.  We  hope  every  book  will  find  ready  sale.  It  is  a  work  worthy 
the  patronage  of  all.'' — Meriwether  Vindicator. 


Rev.  i)u.  W.  F.  (\>c>k,  in  a  private^  note  to  the  author  says: 
"  You  have  given  to  tlie  old  subject  of  whicli  it  treats  an  altogether 
new  interest  and  value.  Many  of  the  views  you  present  are  striking 
and  forcible.  You  certaiidy-  deserve  adeciuate  compensation,  in  the 
large  sales  of  the  book,  for  the  amount  of  labor  and  research  you  have 
bestowed  upon  it."     Xewnan,  (la.,  Nov.  7,  1901. 


1 


/ 


Rev.  R.  A.  vSeale,  of  College  ]*ark,  (hi.,  Jan.  29,  lt)()2,  says: 
'•  The  Story  of  Creation,"  by  Rev.  (f.  C.  Andrews,  of  the  Xorth  (ieor- 
gia  Conference,  is  a  work  that  shows  thought,  and  the  author  has 
spared  no  pains  to  make  it  not  oiily  interesting,  but  instructive.  This 
valuable  work  can  be  had  for  50  cents,  (let  it,  and  you  will  be 
pleased  with  it. 


J  ? 


''The  Stokv  ok  (^-reation."  By  Rev.  (r.  (\  Andrews.  Vindi- 
cator Publishing  House,  (Ireenville,  (la.  "In  this  book  the  author 
gives  his  account  of  Creation  from  the  standpoint  of  the  Biblical 
scholar  and  a  lay  scientist.  A  wonderful  familiarity  with  the  Bible 
is  shown.  Those  readers  who  will  not  be  impressed  with  the  author's 
knowledge  of  biology  and  geology  will  be  instructed  in  certain  prac- 
tical phases  of  thought,  and  will  be  at  the  same  time  amused  at  the 
flashes  of  humor  which  occur  on  almc^st  every  page.  We  are  not  sure 
but  that  the  author  has  come  nearer  the  truth  in  certain  particulars 
than  have  the  men  with  telescopes,  microscopes  and  scalpels.  The 
book  is  written  in  a  simple  style.  Cur  conviction  is  that  the  time 
spent  in  reading  its  contents  will  be  far  from  wasted." — Raleigh 
Christian  Advocate. 


The  author  shows  that  a  man  cannot  tell  how  ]on<x  a  stream  of 
water  has  been  running;  over  a  slrutum  of  rock,  of  wliieh  he  has  a 
t^ood  illustration  on  his  own  premises,  where  a  brook  flows  over  a  solid 
stratum  of  rock,  which  he  has  noticed  for  the  last  six  years,  and  by 
far  most  of  the  wearinij  away  of  the  rock  has  been  done  by  the  weijjht 
and  force  of  the  hi«;h  waters.  In  February  this  year.  (1902),  the 
stream  spread  over  the  whole  width  of  the  channel ;  had  been  so 
many  months  with  little  chanjje,  but  in  March  there  were  three  bi<? 
freshets  and  in  that  month  a  channel  in  the  former  channel  six  inches 
wide  and  eii^ht  inches  deep  on  an  avera«;re,  was  cut  in  the  rock  from 
the  bottom  to  the  top  of  the  stratun).  This  remarkable  effect  was 
produced  in  one  month's  time  and  almost  entirely  by  the  freshets. 

1  think  it  is  a  j^ood  criterion  by  which  to  ludije  in  all  other  cases 
where  water  has  been  wearinj;  in  a  stratum  of  rock.  It  would  be  im- 
possible at  this  place  to  <fo\  any  uniform  ratio  to  calculate  the  time 
by,  and  it  no  do  doubt  would  be  as  difficult  in  all  the  rest.  No  man 
can,  therefore,  conipute  the  time  the  Xiaj^ara,  or  any  other  stream, 
has  been  cuttin;^  out  its  present  channel. 

The  same  is  true  in  re«!^ard  to  the  process  of  petrifaction  <]joinj]jon 
in  caves,  and  so  forth.  And  also  of  the  work  of  the  corals.  As  is 
shown  in  '  The  Story  of  Oeation,"  no  uniform  ratio  can  be  obtained 
by  which  to  calculate  how  lonj^  these  operations  have  been  j^oini^  on 
in  nature  at  any  j)lace. 

We  should  not  leave  the  interpretation  of  nature  to  men  of  science. 
Every  one  should  study  nature  for  himself,  and  not  depend  upon  oth- 
ers. For  every  one  capable  of  understanding  her  teachinj]r  is  held 
accountable  to  the  Almi<,'hty  for  either  violating,'  or  disobeying?  her 
laws.  (Rom.  1  :2i)).  *'  Doth  not  even  nature  herself  teach  you."  (1 
Cor.  11:14.  Ps.  ID.l-O).  So  even  if  they  have  not  His  word,  the  les- 
sons of  nature  brinj;  so  much  responsil)ility  that  they  cannot  escape 
punishment  who  <lisobey  them. 

Tn  rej^ard  to  the  layers  of  ve;;etable  deposit  in  the  Delta  of  the 
Nile,  if  we  should  suppose  every  one  indicates  a  year,  it  would  not  be 
a  reliable  ratio  of  increase  to  calculate  by  ;  for  while  it  is  owin^'  to  the 
periodic  rains  on  the  head  streams  of  the  Blue  Nile  that  K«?ypt  has 
her  inundations,  it  does  not  rain  uniforndy  through  the  we't  season 
of  each  year.  Sometimes  it  rains  incessantly  for  eij^ht  or  ten  days, 
then  the  waters  rise,  sweep  before  them  all  loose  ve«Jetable  matter  in 
their  way;  in  the  Delta  it  collects  toj^'ether  on  the  bosom  of  the  slu<'- 
{fish  waters;  when  too  heavy  to  float  it  sinks  to  the  bottom,  mud  .set- 
tles upon  it,  and  thus  a  layer  of  deposit  is  formed  while  the  river  re- 
mains about  the  same  heij^ht  for  several  weeks,  durin<?  which  period 
the  rains  are  not  sufficient  to  raise  it  any  higher.  Tlien  the  inces- 
sant rains  come  aj^ain  in  Abysinia  for  a  week  or  more,  causing  ^rre-it 
overflows,  sending'  the  current  out  farther  than  it  went  before'' tak in *^ 
all  loose  matter  within  its  reach,  which  rises  and  floats  to  the  slucT- 
gish  waters  in  the  Delta,  where  it  pushes  together  upon  the  surface 
untd  too  heavy  to  float,  then  sinks  to  the  bottom,  mud  settles  upon 
It,  and  another  layer  of  deposit  is  made,  when  for  several  weeks  the 
river  has  no  rise,  for  the  rains  above  only  keep  it  at  its  late  hei-ht 
Ihus  It  comes  not  to  its  hicrhest  at  once,  but  as  by  steps.  So  it  ^oes 
off;  and  a  number  of  those  deposits  may  be  made,  and  mav  have 
been  made,  every  year.     No  man,    therefore,   can  tell  how   Ion-    or 


y 


>  ( 


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f     • 


how  short,  is  the  time  this  work  in  nature  has  been  going  on,  for  it  is 
not  possible  to  get  a  uniform  ratio  by  which  to  compute  the  years. 

And  it  is  true,  as  is  shown  in  "The  Story  of  Creation,"  there  is 
nothing  in  all  luit  ure  from  which  men  can  calculate  and  show  how 
long  nature  has  existed.  It  is,  therefore,  a  very  great  inconsistency 
for  any  one  to  claim  to  do,  or  to  be  able  to  do,  such  a  thing.  Men 
will  have  to  answer  to  the  Almighty  for  all  such  statements.  It  is 
certain  they  do  no  good. 

As  to  the  beds  of  many  rivers  in  mountain  districts,  we  know 
not  but  they  may  have  been  blown  out  by  earthquakes  or  volcanoes 
at  first:  and  .sometimes  may  have  been  changed  by  like  forces  since. 
No  man  can  tell  the  effects  all  causes  have  had  upon  them  from  the 
bejrinning.  All  efforts  to  calculate  their  ages  by  anything  in  nature 
are  vain.     Any  thinking  man  knows  it  cannot  be  done. 

In  writing  upon  discoveries  made  in  Babylonish  ruins,  sonu^  have 
tried  to  carry  time  four  thousand  years  and  more  beyond  all  dates 
there  found.  But  what  proof  do  they  offer?  Only  a  supposition  as 
to  how  long  it  would  take  debris  to  settle  upon  ruins  to  a  depth  of 
about  forty  feet,  which  depth  they  suppose  represents  four  thousand 
years.  There  is  no  reliability  in  that.  J'or  in  some  years  it  would 
increase  more  than  in  others,  owing  to  prevailing  clauses,  and  no  man 
could  get  a  correct  ratio  for  each  year  to  calculate  by,  to  find  the 
time.     Therefore,  such  tilings  give  no  chronology. 

And  if  records  should  be  there  or  elsewhere  found  from  which 
older  dates  than  those  in  the  Bible  could  be  clearly  deciphered,  it 
would  not  follow  from  that  that  they  are  more  reliable  than  those  in 
the  Bible.  For  if  there  are  mistakes  in  those  in  the  Bible,  it  is  much 
more  reasonable  that  there  would  be  mistakes  in  those  which  came 
from  a  less  intelligent  sourc(\  There  are  none  so  intelligent,  so  well 
expressed,  so  complete,  as  those  in  the  Bible.  Nor  is  there  any  pro- 
babilitv  that  anv  others  will  be  found  so  reliable  as  those  we  have  in 
the  Bible. 

It  is  published  that  Professor  Kitchey  has  discovered  a  new  star. 
Suppose  he  has — for  which  he  deserves  to  be  duly  honored — it  is  no 
l)roof  that  it  has  not  existed  from  that  beginning  mentioned  in  the 
Bible.  When  the  white  men  discovered  America  they  called  it  anew 
world.  But  was  it  not  really  as  old  as  the  rest  of  the  earth?  So  any 
star,  however  recrently  discovered,  may  be  as  old  as  any  of  the  re.st. 
Because  men  have  not  seen  it  before  is  no  proof  that  it  is  not  as  old 
as  the  stars  first  known  to  men,  as  tlie  sun,  the  moon  and  the  earth. 

It  were  of  little  use  to  construct  more  powerful  glasses  if  they 
did  not  enable  us  to  see  objects  wn^  could  not  see  without  them. 
After  all,  it  may  not  prove  to  be  a  permanent  star.  But  if  clearer 
vision  should  so  find,  it  is  no  proof  that  it  is  the  baby  of  the  skies. 
It  may  be  as  old  as  the  rest.  It  does  imt  prove  evolution  to  be  true 
no  more  than  the  discovery  of  America  proves  evolution  to  be  true. 

■  We  would  expect  more  powerful  means  of  vision  would  enable  us 
to  see  existencies  we  never  saw  before.  Men  never  saw  animalcules 
in  water  before  the  invention  of  the  microscope.  Shall  we  say  they 
were  just  then  born  in  water?  That  those  living  organisms  not  seen 
in  water  before  were  born  with  the  invention  of  the  microscope?  It 
would  be  just  as  consistent  as  to  claim  that  those  stars  or  other  bod- 


ie^  lately  discovered  by  means  of  clearer  vision  have  just  been  born, 

or  were  not  there  before.  , ,       ^  .^i    i. 

If  it  were  formed  just  as  they  suppose,  it  would  not  prove  that 
the  other  ^tars  were  so  formed,  or  that  the  earth,  sun  and  moon  were 
so  formed.  Xo  more  that  it  would  prove  lliat  tlie  first  man  and 
woman  were  brouL'lit  into  this  world  just  as  those  who  are  noNV  in 
this  world  came  into  it.  If  He  has  by  any  n)eans  made  any  since 
that  Creation  mentioned  in  the  Bible,  it  does  not  contradict  whjit.  is 
there  stated.  •'  For  His  pleasure  they  are  and  were  created."  (Rev. 
4:11).     Kespectfully  submitted. 


V 


Order  of  ii.  C.  Andrews,  as  above  stated,  at  Greenville,  Ga. 


■> 


1/ 


I" 

as 

I 

IS 

r  m 

IS 


DEDICATION. 


A  lover  of  all,  the  author  dedicates  this  book,  in  all  sin- 
cerity, and  most  earnestly,  to  the  whole  human  race;  and 
that  not  only  now,  but  for  all  time  to  come,  in  all  its  <jen- 
erations,  till  the  last  set  of  sun.  Even  as  the  j^reat 
subject  upon  which  it  is  written,  appeals  with  ecpial  inter- 
est to  every  one  of  them.  At  any  time  or  place,  whoever 
reads  this  book,  let  him  know  that  the  author  loved  him 
and  prayed  for  him,  (to  the  i^reat  Autliorof  us  all),  ere  this 
book  reached  him. 


*4» 

SI/ 
St/ 
St/ 
St/ 
St/ 

SI/ 


■^«**^*$$:$^^$$$:$$$$$$4^' 


Vi, 


Greenvillf,  Ga. 

F.  H.  Word.  Trinter, 

May,  1902. 


iiii-:  Ar'rii()!{. 


> 


^^'« 


I 


/ 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


CHAPTER  I. 

II^X  the  loni]j  a^xo,  in  tho  be<>:innin,:^  of  hoary  t imo,  Crocl,  by  the  power 
I  of  His  Almii^^lity  word,  created  the  heavenly  bodies  and  the  earth, 
(len.  1  :'2.  In  the  second  chapter  of  (jenesls  in  the  first  and  in  tlie 
toiirtli  verses,  the  word  lieiiven  is  in  I  lie  jdiira]  form.  I  think  it  must 
mean  tJie  heavenly  bodies..  Just  so  in  i-'salms  JJodJ:  "P>y  the  word 
of  the  Lord  were  tJie  lieavens  made;  anil  aJl  the  host  of  them  by  the 
breath  of  his  luouth.''  The  word  hosts  often  means  an  army;  or  a 
multitude  of  bein,<»:s.  Josh.  5:1-1,  15.  ''The  worlds  were  framed  by 
the  word  of  (rod."  Heb.  11  :8.  St  Peter  says,  ^'by  the  word  of  God 
the  heavens  v.ere  of  old,  and  the  earth."     2:8-5. 

In  all  these  passafjjes  the  writers  must  mean  the  heavenly  bodies 
and  the  earth.  And  tliey  say  tliey  were  created  by  the  word  of  God. 
As  it  is  explained  in  the  thirty-third  Psalm:  9:  "He  spake  and  it 
was  done;  He  commanded  and  it  stood  fast." 

Genesis,  first  cliapter  and  iirst  verse,  calls  this  the  betvinninj:^.  And 
I  think  St.  Joim  refers  to  this  in  the  Iirst  chapter,  first  and  second 
verses  of  his  Gospel. 

I  do  not  think  the  Lord  created  all  these  worlds  as  on  a  ij^reat  plat- 
form and  tiien  moved  them  out  on  tlu^r  respective  tracks;  but 
rather,  I  believe,  He  created  each  one  in  tlie  part  of  space  it  was  to 
occup3'  in  relation  to  the  rest  and  in  tlie  orbit  in  which  it  was  to  move. 
As  afterwards  He  created  tliose  creatures  that  were  peculiar  to  water 
in  the  water;  and  those  tliat  were  peculiar  to  land  on  the  land.  And 
in  each  were  all  t!ie  elements,  laws  and  powers  ])eculiarly  thereto  be- 
lonij^in'^-,  except  as  yet  none  of  them  had  received  any  llj^ht. 

They  were  all  held  in  a  just  balance,  Is.  42:12,  by  Almi^j^hty 
power.  Job  f}7:17,  and  at  the  moment  all  were  ready  to  move.  He, 
as  it  were,  touclied  the  button,  and  the  motion  of  the  vast  machinery 
bei^an,  and  continued  on,  and  on,  v.ithout  any  disappointment  to  the 
Great  Contriver. 

A  j^r.'ind  scene  it  was!  It  made  the  ano-els  sinsr  ^ind  shout  for  joj-. 
Job  88:7  For  they  had  watched  every  step  with  deep  concern.  1 
Peter  1 :12  The  Son  of  God,  the  actinij;:  Creator,  rejoiced,  too,  in  the 
happy  success  of  His  work.     Prov.  8:22-81. 

How  lon«.r  tlie  (rreat  (rodhead  nuiy  have  had  tliis  wonderful  scheme 
of  Creation — if  one  may  so  speak — in  conteiu])lation,  or  the  work  it- 
self in  a  course  of  preparation,  we  are  not  informed.  But  I  think*  it 
is  <dear  that  ihe  Creator  be<2:an  to  reckon  out  time  from  that 
jjjrand  era. 

With  tlie  be.2^innin,i»:  of  tliat  first  revolution  of  the  earth  on  her  axis, 
and  around  the  sun,  and  the  motion  of  the  other  bodies — the  sun  and 
all  his  host — tlie  wheels  of  time,  too,  be.^^in  to  move.  It  was  the 
beirinnino-  of  time — Ihe    besrinninfir  of  days.     The  close  of  that   first 


1 


*) 


THK  STORY  OF  (^.KKATIOX. 


i^^' 


und  is  dated  in  the  Hook.  ihonro<oiK-o 

About  2;,i;5  yeurs,  U  not  nioro,  ^i^  er    Ins   Ood  ^^\  ;\/'\^^^j  ^^  ^^^^^^^ 
nnd  in  iliohoann-,  of  all  Israel,  at  Sinai :     -In  six  da.>  s   ho  l.oid  ma  ir 
ami  ''^^''*^  77     ,;;     ,    ,,  .|  ^  '     ^)^(.,^i  is.-     Heaven  liere  means  all 
lieaven  an<l  earlli  and  an   uiiii  i»   »ni.iii 

material  thinj^'s  not  enibraeed  in  the  earth, 


>rder  she  hellowsed,  steamed  and   fused, 

The  eieat  rices  ot* 


man  eould  define"  its  sha|)e. 

In  passini,'  from  ('haos  to  on  I 
until  all  her  elements  found  a  proper  equipoise, 
which  are  to  be  seen  in  all  the  earth  until  this  day.  And  by  analo-y 
we  mav  suppose  a  similar  process  was  -one  throu-h  in  all  the  heav- 
enly bodies.  That  was  a  (ireat  day  of  Ood  Almiohty.  liiit  there  was 
no  man.    either  with    pleasure   or    IVar,  to  witness  it.     Kev,    1():14, 

2  Peter  ;J:12.  ^     ,  ,     . 

None  of  them  as  vet  had  received  their  ix'rmanent  snape;  Init  un- 
der the  power  of  (iod  and  the  motion  they  were  subjected  to  tht^y  soon 
obtained  a  spherical  form.  As  he  says,  -o  to  the  potter  and  learn. 
Jer.  lS.l-().  1  have  often  seen  tlie  potter  put  ujjon  his  wlieel  a  lump 
of  mortar  with  no  definite  shape,  and  under  h.is  .u-uidint,^  hand  and 
from  the  motion  of  the  wheel,  in  a  few  seconds  of  time  it  v.ould  be  a 
round  hodv— fashionin.LC  it  as  he  chose.  So  it  would  be  but  a  natural 
cons(>quenVe  for  tlie  earth,  and  all  the  rest,  in  th.eirthen  plastic  state, 
under  the  shapin.ir  ha!i<iof  the  (h-eator  and  that  motion  lie  gave  them 
with  all  its  rai>i<iity  to  soon  become  spheres. 

The  text  also  says  th.e  earth  was  void.  Barren,  empty,  unoccupied 
by  anythini;-.  It  w;:s  not  then  suited  for  any  kind  of  life — animal 
or  veiceta])le.  , 

By  "the  middle  of  the  first  day  tlie  Creator  had  caused  the  water  to 
rise  up  out  of  the  bulk  oi'  the  earth — the  condensation  she  was  .<i-oin<j: 
throu^di  would  naturrdly  produce  this  elTect— so  that  the  water  stood 
all  over  her  surface.  (Jen.  1 .2.  And  no  doubt  but  the  same  was  expe- 
rienced in  all  the  heavenly  bodies.  ^'Which  made  the  surface  of  each 
to  look  like  a  vast  sea.  Hence  it  is  called  the  deep."'  Psalms 
107.2.V2(>. 

"And  darknes-  was  upon  the  face  of  the  deep." 

All  these  worlds  were  covered  over  with  darkness.  Even  tlie  waters 
were  dark.  It  is  but  natural  that  chaos  of  all  the  elements  in  all 
these  bodies  and  the  tremendous  explosions  that  v.ould  follow  in  con- 
sequence of  the  contact  of  opposing'  elements  would  cause  the  waters 
to  be  dark.  Very  nuiddy,  at  least.  Nor  could  lijjfht  exist  v>ithout  a 
special  act  of  Creation.  But  we  must  understand  it  after  the  man- 
ner of  men,  for  it  is  never  dark  to  the  Lord.     Ps.  15)1).  1 1-12. 

In  that  opportune  moment  the  Spirit  of  (iod  moved  upon  the  face 


V 


I 


THE  STORY  OF  CRKATION 


3. 


\( 


of  the  waters.  This  is  the  first  time  the  Spirit  took  any  part  in  the 
work.  And  we  are  not  informed,  either,  for  what  purpose  He  made 
this  movement  upon  tlie  surface  of  the  waters.  Bui  we  know^  that 
none  of  His  movements  are  aimless.  I  think  it  is  obvious  from  wdiat 
follows,  that  it  was  to  prepare  the  waters  for  the  emission  of  liijht, 
and  when  He  hr.d-  brou«rht  them  into  a  i)roper  state  tbe  Son  of  (xod, 
who  is  liimself  "The  li-'ht  of  the  world,"  John  8.12,  said  in  a  sublime 
voice,  "as  never  man  sj^ake,  .lohn  7. 40,  "Let  tbere  l)e  li.ii:ht;  and 
there  wasb\u:ht."  A  res])lendent  ri,i>-ht  radiating- from  aJl  waters — witrh- 
oiit  sun,  moon  or  stars — li,u-htin<>:  up  creation. 

I  ]:)elieve  He  used  the  wrders  as  a  meiins  of  light  until  the  fourth 
day,  when  power  was  imparted  to  tlie  sun  for  this  purpose.  And  for 
this  rea.son  He  gave  to  it  a  brilliancy  surpassing  any  water  we  ever 
saw.  The  Creator,  so  I  think,  chose  this  as  His  temporary  arrange- 
ment for  light  to  the  material  universe  until  He  was  prepared  to 
bring  in  His  j)ermanent — or  rather  until  the  worlds  He  had  created 
were  prepared  for  His  permanent  plan — for  if  tlie  light  of  a  sun  had 
been  turned  upon  the  earth  tlien  r.nd  peoj^le  had  been  living  on  it  they 
could  not  have  stood  it,  for  the  earth  had  as  yet  no  atmosphere  to 
temper  the  sun's  rays.  Xor  did  she  have  until  the  second  day.  This 
light  was  material.  \\'as  for  material  uses,  and  must  have  come  from 
some  material  source.  It  was  most  convenient,  no  doubt,  and  most 
suitable  to  make  the  water  luminous  for  these  lirst  days.  Of  course 
it  WT)uld  equalize  the  warmth  as  well  as  tlie  light  throughout  all  crea- 
tion ;;s  norhing  else  could  do.  And  it  w^as  all  of  the  same  tempera- 
ture in  tliose  virgin  da.ys. 

You  ma,y  liiiuk  this  is  not  true,  but  if  He  had  made  any  thing  else 
self  luminous,  or  the  sour^'e  of  light  to  the  rest  of  nature,  there 
would  have  been  the  same  seeming  difficulty  in  separating  day  from 
night  until  the  sun  was  prepared  for  this  office  and  work.  In  some 
mysterious  way,  unrevealeil  to  us,  witliout  a  sun,  he  separated  be- 
tween the  light  and  the  darkness  in  regular  succession  until  the 
IVnu-th  day,  Job  88.1 9-2-t;  Is,  4r)-T.  He  sent  darkness  upon  Egypt, 
Ex.  10-22*,  "and  made  it  dark,"  Ps.  l(>r)-28. 

This  dark  spell  lasted  three  days  and  three  nights  being  darker 
than  they  would  have  been  without  it.  A  grievous  darkness  it  w^as. 
It  darkened  stars  and  moon  by  niglit  and  the  sun  by  day.  Yet  the 
Lord  so  controlled  it  tiiat  it  did  not  extend  over  (loshen — where  the 
Israelites  dwelt.  He  did  that  in  the  presence  of  the  sun.  Witliout 
his  help  in  an.y  way.  Xo  shadow  of  the  earth — no  eclipse  anywhere. 
He  divided  that  light  in  (loshen  from  the  darkness  that  overshadowed 
the  rest  of  Egypt.  If  h(^  had  seen  fit  he  could  as  easily  have  sent  it 
over  all  the  etirth,  and  without  the  sun  have  separated  between 
tlia.t  darkness  and  the  light  shining  elsewhere.  For  he  maketh  dark- 
ness, and  it  is  night;  and  he  maketh  light,  and  it  is  day.  So  with- 
out a  sun  for  those  first  days  he  separated  lietween  day  and  nights — 
everywhere  as  he  saw  fit. 

He  did  it  by  ]iis  miraculous  power.  Every  act  of  creation  was  mi- 
raculous. Hence  lie  could  do  it  in  an  instance  in  as  high  a  degree  of 
perfection  as  if  it  had  come  tlirough  the  slow  process  of  the  sculptor 
or  the  painter.     Lick  by  lick — stroke  by  stroke — (Iod  did  more  by  a 


i 


TliK  STOUV  OF  CRKATTOX 

ont.  or  li.no-lhnn  ul!  men  oouUT  over  ,lo. 


TirK  STORY  OF  ORKATIOX. 


•>. 


OroiUion  viowc.l  fn-m  =;•^\  ^' » '  :^";'"  'C  ;' ,  .vontness.     The  more 

r..;.ph  A-MisonoM  ,i.o  ,n.e.,un.ss  ol'  div.ne  merey  :     . 

"When  nil  tl'V  inorc-ies,  O  iny  (vod, 

My  ri^in*'-  soul  surveys, 
Tr;inspc).-loa  with  iho  vicn,  Tni  lost 

In  wondcH-,  love  and  praise. 

He  ii<  tlie  l.ord   tliiit  esplnins  il  all.     Ail^n"  "c  ^-i"-' 

thin^.  t.re  po^W;-"  ^[v^ J ''!;:•;, J;!-^;!,,,  „,,,,,,  fcuh  in  Hhn,  nil  else 

ever  saw;  but  not  to  be  followed  by  t.  r.sMn,'  ^^u   •  '■"';*?;,,;. 

It  tl.'it  tuvt  (hiv  break  and  U  was  fjood.  >.o  doubt  but  it  wa..  a  spu  n 
d  d  e«  is  telv  beautiful  r,./nl  ;  for  the  tinie  heir.-.,  answer,,,!,'  all  ns 
r'nose"  •(Ll  ealled  the  ii^ht  d.,y,  and  the  -larKaess  he  eaM  , 
ni.d'.t"  Hehadari-Ut  to  name  them  tor  he  made  ihem.  An,, 
t  re  e;eni,"'tn,l  the  morninV'-so  he  ca,lle.i  the.n  f,-o,n  he  K;..  jj 
ni„„_.-v,-ere  the  first  day."  And  a  happy  day  d^  was.  O  t!,at  all 
that  have  followed  it  had  lieen  a.s  fi-ee  fi-om  sin  and  sorrow . 

:  w;s  a  dav  of  wonder.  A  day  when  ( Jod  rei<r,K-d  w,l  hou  a  r.vai 
Wher  natht  of  evil  ,-ont,-aven,.,l  liis  will.  Wesse.l  h,-st  ,lay  hut 
look ed  out^.po"  vi,-,in  worlds  rollin;,  in  splendor!  ^  [=>-;>«  in  t,,e,n 
buds  of  risi,.l'  pro.nise  unfolding  to  duly  bloom  for  th<_.  jnterest  of  .,  - 
gelsan.l  for  the  happiness  of  eomin-  i,„mo.-tals.wl„eh  shall  lea, 
fhem  step  by  step  as  they  shall  u„de,-stan,l  by  fa.th  to  ^nvo  fjreater 
;.l.»-y  to  the  Maker  of  all.  Clorious  first  day,  pattei-n  o  all  the  rest, 
not  only  in  length,  in  number  of  liours— but  in  „o,iu;  their  Makers 

•'11 

''  As  we  have  seen  as  soon  as  the  earth  and  her  attendant  worlds 
were  created  thev  were  set  in  motion  according  to  tlie  Divine  concep- 
tion of  a  well  matured,  perfect  plan.  The  earlh  moved  on  in  lier 
trackle-'^  path  throui^di  space  revolvin.u' on  her  axis,  and  around  t!ie 
^un  and  He,  thou-h  then  with  no  more  lit^dit  or  heat  than  any  olher 
of  tiiem  except  as  to  his  bulk,  by  the  laws  of  attraction  held  her  to 
hpr  place.  Relatively  speakin-  the  first  half  of  that  Mrst  revolution 
of  the  earth  on  her  axis  was  in  darkness—a  moonless,  s1arles-<  ni,o-]it— 
nor  was  there  a  rooster  to  o-ive  the  si<,'nal  of  approachin<,'  djiy. 


/'jR 


t     1^    -f 


Evening  in  the  narrative  means  earth's  night  and  morning,  her  day 
at  relative  points.  Kvening  is  mentioned  first  because  it  was  a  half 
a  day  before  the  Lord  produced  any  material  light.  "The  ligjit  of  this 
world."  .John  11:9.  Following  the  order  of  nature  from  the  begin- 
ning we  have  first  the  night,  tJien  the  day.  We  should  bear  this  in 
mind.  And  of  course,  it  took  tlien,  as  now,  a  complete  revolution  of 
the  earth  on  her  axis  to  make  a  dav — twentv-four  hours.  Thev  were 
just  as  long  then  as  now,  and  no  longer.  It  took  as  many  to  make  a 
year  as  now,  and  no  iTiore.  I  hav(^  heard  some  persons  say  they 
believed  Methusalah's  years  were  shorter  than  ours.  But  that  could 
not  be.  For  earth's  (lavs  and  her  vears  were  naturallv  fixed  at  the 
beginning — have  always  been  governed  l)y  the  same  laws — which  alter 
not.     And  will  be  so  governed  until  the  end  of  time. 

(Jrjind,  maje^^tic  day's  work  this!  Worthy  of  the  Supreme  Being. 
Like  laying  the  foundation  of  a  great  fabric,  to  l)e  embellished  and 
finished  afterwards,  as  we  shall  see. 

(),  sweet  hrst  day  I     Thou  wert  blessed  to  see; 
The  first  set  of  eve.  and  morn's  first  rise; 
And  Thine  it  was,  out  of  the  womb  of  the  night, 
T(j  bring  forth  the  light,  as  a  maiden  fair, 
('basing  the  darkness  away;   and  for  aye, 
Filling  all  the  space  with  day. 


(UiAPTFR  II. 

SECOND  DAY'S  WORK. 

THK  M.AKINCi  ()!"    THK    I' IKM  AMK.NT ITS  OKKJf'KS  AND  FSKS. 


The  margin  calls  it  "The  expansion."  The  ('reat or  now  cleared 
the  way  between  the  orbits  of  the  diffwent  l)odies  He  had  made, 
throughout  the  whole  universe,  so  there  would  be  n(>thing  to  interfere 
with  the  operations  of  the  firmament  in  the  mutual  effect  the  worlds 
were  to  jiave  upon  each  other,  in  light,  warmth,  attraction  or  other 
sympathy  that  might  be  needed. 

While  the  earth,  or  any  of  the  others,  was  in  Chaos,  of  course,  there         ^ 
would  l)e  schisjnatic  and  volcanic  eruptions — tremendous  explosions —  ")  6-'*^' 
through    atid    througii    its    bulk.     Or    powerful    conflicts,    at     ^^^^s'^'^l/i*  t 
between  opposing  elements,  until    everything    found  its    proper  con- f '* 
sistency  and  equilibrium.     And  if  there  was  any  loose  matter  floating 
in  the  spaces  between  their  orl)its  He  now  caused    it  to  adhere  to  the 
solid  bodies — going  through  a   process  of  condensation — in  order  to 
make  room  for  the  stretching    out  of    this  expansion,    which    was   to 
connect  them  together,  as  a  great  membrane  does  the  difi'erent    parts 
of  a  living  animal,  and  holds  them  together.     As  th(^  Bilde  says,  "He 
spread  out  the  sky,  which  is  strong."     Job    ^57 :  fS.     J)oul)tless,    it    is 
for  mutual  sympathy  throughout  the  whole  universe  and   holds  all  of 
its  parts  together. 

The  system  could  not  be  operated  by  natural  laws  without  the  firm- 
ament. Tp  to  this  time  miraculous  power  had  filled  its  place.  Neb- 
ulae are  never  dense  enough    \o    interfere  wit  h   t  he  ojH'rat  ions  of   the 


c. 


TIIK  STORY  OF  CKKATIOX. 


tirinaiiHMit.  XcilluM*  have  t  lu*y  been  known  to  condense  hito  solid 
bodies.  Tlieir  peculiar  conditions  and  uses  in  nature  are  unknown  to 
men.     Nor  (1<.>  men  know  tlie  uses  of  asteroids. 

If  small  thin.i^^s  are  needed  on  eartli  for  its  beauty,  hij>'lier  j)erfec- 
tion  and  utility,  doubtless  the  same  is  true  of  the  upper  realms.  If 
for  notliinu-  else,  for  the  iriory  of  the  (-reatoi'.  ^^'e  know  they  do  not 
interfere  wi!h  iheir  la ru'er  neiu'hbors.  They,  ?iodoul)t,  add  mucli  to 
the  beauty,  slrciiiitli  and  perfection  of  the  wb.ole. 

Hut  as  the  tiny  flower  and  the  small  insect  never  irrow  into  lar.i^^e 
ones,  s<>  tlu'se  litth'  worlds  never  make  larire  ones.  Just  as  all  other 
little  adults,  they,  loo,  rem-ain  little.  Neither  should  they  be 
ashamed  because  t  ht*  ureal  Creator  of  al!  made  rhem  little,  for  they 
are  just  as  honorable  in  His  siirht  as  the  lari^e  ones. 

Tliere  are  striking'  anaIou:i('s  in  the  several  departments  of  nature, 
whi(di  will  help  us  to  reason  from  tiie  known  to  the  unknown  wilii  a 
hi^fh  deijree  of  .satisfaction  if  we  have  faith,  as  we  should,  in  the  ^^reat 
(h'eator  of  all.  All  of  our  Savior's  parables  are  based  upon  this  ])rin- 
ciple.  From  facts  the  people  knew  He  led  them  into  those  they  li!ul 
not  before  known. 

The  universe  is  like  unto  a  j^reat  piece  of  ma(diinery  that  has  lari^fe 
and  small  wheels,  and  the  spac(\s  between  the  wheels  are  adjusted 
uccordinLT  to  tlie  size  and  |)owers  of  the  wheels.  The  solid  bodies,  the 
spheres,  are  tlu' wheels  that  never  stop.  The  spaces  between  are 
filled  by  that  tirniament  the  ('reatoi-  made  on  tlie  second  day  of  crea- 
tion. W  jifoes  around  every  one  of  the  wheels,  connects  them  all  to- 
t<ether  more  tirmly  than  man  ever  banded  machinery  to^vther.  Won- 
derful in  «:reatness  here:  no  less  so  in  smallness  there.  The  students 
in  astronomy  will  be  astonished  when  they  find  out,  if  thev  ever  do, 
how  majiy  little  worlds  it  clasps,  like  bands  on  sniall  wheels,  when 
compared  with  others  in  the  systt'in,  too  small  for  their  nieans  of 
vision  to  take  them  in  before.  But  they  have  been  there  all  the 
while — doinu- their  Maker's  will — thou^rh  like  many  of  His  faithful 
servants  on  t'arth.  they  have  never  receive<l  any  recoj^nition  before. 

The  firmament  was  made  to  divide  the  waters  on  the  earth  from  the 
wat<'rs  above  the  earth.  This  is  accordin<i;  to  other  Scripture  quota- 
lions.  "The  earth  is  the  Lord's  and  the  fullness  thereof ;  for  Hehatli 
founded  it  ujxm  t he  seas  an<l  established  it  upon  the  floods."  Fs. 
24:l-'2.  "I'raise  Him.  ye  heaven  of  heavens  and  ye  waters  above  the 
heavvns."  Ps.  US:4.  -'To  Him  that  stretched  out  fhe  earth  above 
the  waters."  Ps.  l;i():().  In  ail  these  there  is  a  reference  to  (xen. 
1  :H-S:  -'By  His  Spirit  He  has  irarnished  tlie  lieavens.  ''Hestretch- 
eth  out  the  Xorlh  ()V(m-  the  empty  place,  and  han^etli  the  earth  upon 
nothino:.*     .Jol)  l>()  :7-l;i. 

The  men  wh.o  wrote  these  Scriptures  must  have  been  inspired  of 
(rod,  or  else  were  well  advanced  in  natural  philosophv,  for  common 
observation  woidd  not  see  the  truth  they  teach,  becaiise  it  does  not 
naturally  appear  that  there  is  water  above  the  earth. 

But  l)oth  inspiration  and  science  teach  us  tiiat  above  and  below  are 
only  relative  terms.  Therefore,  what  is  up  iu  one  ])art  of  the  earth 
would  be  down  in  another.  Yet,  nalurallv  enouirh,  does  it  appear 
that  on  the  opposite  side  to  us  s<m.ethin- would    l>e    need(Ml    to    keep 


/ 


I 


k 


u 


\ 


J 


THE  STORY  OF  (iRKATIOX.  7. 

the  water  from  spillin<^  off  of  the  earth.  But  this  firmaiuent  holds 
the  water  to  the  earth  all  around  the  earth.  Otherwise,  she  vrould 
lose  her  water  by  evaj^oration.  if  in  no  other  way. 

There  may  })e,  forau<>hi  we  know,  in  atinos]>hiM'ic  form,  more  water, 
at  all  times,  iibove  the  earth  than  on  it.  P>ut  let  thrd  be  as  it  may, 
jt  matters  not  tons,  foi' as  the  ]3ro])liet  says  :  "He  hath  made  the 
eiirtli  ])}■  His  power.  He  hatli  esta])iished  tlu'  world  by  His  wisdom 
and  hath  stretched  out  the  heavens  ]>y  His  discretion.  When  He 
uttereth  His  voice,  there  is  a  multitude  of  waters  in  the  heavens,  and 
He  causetli  the  vapors  to  ascend  from  the  ends  of  the  earth."  .ler. 
1():P2-B>.  \\'hat  sublime  expressions  are  thesel  Hovv  ^-lorious  Jlis 
actionsl     \\'orthv  (^f  (Jod  I 

The  Lord  saw  tit  by  means  of  the  firmament.  throui;]i  its  .u'iven 
jiowers,  to  separate  the  waters  under  the  firnuiment ,  from  those  above 
it.  This  Vvas  necessary  to  protect  life  on  the  earth.  Xeitlfer  animal 
nor  vej^etable  would  be  safe  without  it ;  and  there  would  beu^reat  dan- 
i^ev  tliat  but  for  the  laws  of  the  firmauient,  wat(M"  spouts  and  cloud- 
bursts would  often  imperil  life  upon  the  earth;  for  we  would  die  from 
drouth  and  hejiX-  Some  of  the  laws  of  this  firmametit  seem  to  have 
been  susj)eu(led  in  time  of  the  Hood.  By  the  laws  of  the  firmament 
the  oceans  are  held  in  due  bounds,  and  all  bodies  of  water  allowed  to 
emit  their  ])roport  ioiial  amount  of  moisture  for  the  dry  land.  And 
by  it  in  time  of  cloud,  wind  and  rain,  the  inhabitants  of  earth  are  pro- 
tected from  datiuer,  except  at  tiujes  when  the  equilibrium  is 
unusually  disturbed,  for  reasons  unkiiown  tons.  He  suffers  some  to 
be  hiu't. 

The  earth  exists  induM*  own  atmosphere  in  the  midst  of  tiiis  vapor- 
ous nuitter.  So,  in  the  sense  of  the  Psalmist,  it  is  founded  upon  the 
seas,  and  estal)rishe«l  U])on  the  floods.  We  ;>"iiess  one  would  think  so 
if  he  was  detained  about  three  days  at  sea  in  a  dense  London  f oij; ;  or 
a  day  and  a  half  in  llelTs  (rate  on  Lonij  Island  sound   in  a  heavy  fn^. 

"They  that  ^o  down  to  the  sea  in  ships,  that  do  business  in  j^n-eal 
waters;  these  see  the  works  of  llu'  Lord,  and  His  wonders  in  the 
deep."  Ps.  l(>7:2;J-24.  From  experience  they  there  learn  more  of 
the  meaning:  and  «!feneral  ap[)lication  of  the  Scriptures  on  the  subject 
of  the  firmament ,  in  its  offices  and  uses,  than  theywouhl  on  land. 
Perhaps  some  would  think  the  expression  in  Job,  "He  hani.,^eth  the 
earth  upon  nolhiui^',"  Job  2()  :7,  to  be  more  scientific. 

(jo  where  you  may,  you  see  nothiui,^  that  seems  to  support  the 
eartii ;  but  oti  the  contrary,  she  a))pears  to  su]);)ort  everythin<;  else. 
Doubtless,  sh(^  is  held  in  her  place  by  the  laws  of  ^gravitation,  and  the 
lirmjiment  has  much  to  do  with  it,  as  an  adjuster  of  i^raVitatioii.  It 
is  called  the  firmament  of  His  power.  Ps,  150  :l.  The  word  literally 
means  stren^'th.  His  povver  is  ordinarily  exerted  throuj^h  it,  and,  at 
times,  in  an  (wtraoi'dinary  manner,  to  accomplish  Hi^i  purposes 
throi:u;hout  the  universe. 

It  has  been  said  that  every  square  foot  of  the  earth's  surface  sus- 
tains constantly  about  21(>{)  pounds  of  atmospheric  pressure.  But  for 
Ihis  we  could  not  stand  upoji  it.  See  the  ;j:oodness  of  the  ('reator  in 
this  arrantrement  for  our  safety  and  comfort  ;  for  He  put  nothing:  on 
it  until  He  .^-ot  it  ready  to  be  occupied. 


8. 


THE  STOKY  OF  CRKATTOX 


To  the  eye,  if  we  eoiild  see  nil  uroiind  the  earth  at  once,  it  would 
seem  to  have  no  foundation,  yet  it  has  a  foundation  ;  and  this  is  its 
own  centre  of  o;ravlty,  which  is  so  perfect,  althou.ij:h  we  are  travelintr 
continually  at  the  rate  of  ()8,(HH.)  miles  an  hour,  we  are  not  in  the  least 
disturbed  hv  the  motion.  The  earth  ever  seems  to  he  still,  while  all 
other  spheres  appear  to  move  around  her. 

Many  have  a  curiosity  to  know  what  is  al  the  north  pole.  As  yet, 
no  livini^  man  knows.  But  if  it  is  ever  rea<*h(Ml ;  we  dare  say  it  will  be 
found,  as  it  is  said  in  the  Hook  of  Job,  an  "emply  place."  20:7.  He 
said  it  by  inspiration  and  knew  not  himself  tlie  full  meaniii«:  of 
what  he  said.  1  Peter  1:10-12,  the  revised  version  says:  "Over 
empty  space.'"  Accordimr  to  that,  there  is  an  idtitnate  north  l>eyond 
the  pole;   as  there  is  an  ultimate  east,  beyond    the    eastern    limits  of 

our  SplUMH'. 

The  Scriptures  often  use  the  expression  :  ''Stretched  out  the  hea- 
vens." Is.  44:24.  Ps.  104:2,  Job  9:8,  Is.  42:5  and  Is.  4(t:22,  all  of 
which  have  reference  to  the  i^^reatness  of  the  heavenly  bodies,  the 
expanse  l>etween  them  and  the  incalculable  breadth  of  the  whole. 
Not  withstanding;  the  expansion  is  so  j^reat,  it  is  so  transparent  we  can 
.see  clear  throuj^h  it.  unaided  by  art,  to  the  remotest  star  visible  to  the 
natural  eye,  from  theeartli  to  the  tnoon,  sun,  planets  and  fixed  stars. 
In  Job  :i7:IS,  it  is  compared  to  a  molten  lookinji;  <rlass,  both  for  its 
transj)arency  ami  for  reflect  inu:  the  }xUn'y  of  the  ('reator.     Rom.  1  :20. 

(ien.  1:7:  "And  it  was  so."*  X<ine  of  His  orders  failed.  They 
were  all  |)romptly  obeyed.  He  called  the  firmament  Heaven.  That 
is  the  aerial  and  ethereal,  not  the  spiritual  heavtMi.  Hence  all  orbs 
separated  by  it  from  us  are  called  heavenly  bodies,  (fen.  I  :8:  ''And 
the  eveninj,^  and  the  morning,'  were  the'second  day."* 

Compared  with  the  other  Divine  work  of  a  day,  this,  at  first,  seems 
to  be  less  «i:reat :  but  clearer  observation  shows'it  to  be  quite,  if  not 
equally  as  .i>:reat,  and,  if  one  mio;hi  so  s[)eak.  firun*  work.  For  remem- 
ber that  that  delicate,  aerial  and  ethereal  pirnishinu'  Jieeded  about 
the  earth  was  needed  also  about  the  sun,  and  i'Vi^ry  planet,  and  (n-erv 
star.  Every  one  of  them  ha<l  not  only  skies,  but  atmospheres  too,  at 
first,  before  the  heat  of  the  sun  interfered,  as  it  is  supposed,  with 
those  nearest  to  Jiim,  as  Mercury.  And  the  void  between  must  be 
hlled  hy  the  firriiament  with  its  laws,  powers;  influences  and  uses. 

How  fine,  how  skillful  this!  called  fii^urativelv  ''His  handy  work  " 
Ps.  19:1.  .\nd  'the  work  of  His  fin-ers.  **  Ps.  8  :JJ  Yea,"  what  a 
wonderful  day  s  work  to  provide  atmospheres  and  skies  for  all  these 
stupendous  worlds,  with  laws  and  reirulatlons  suited  to  each  for  the 
protection  and  comfort  of  every  on(^  and  to  improve  the  almost  lim- 
itless spaces  between  for  the  i^ood  of  all  .' 

When  the  Lord  had  ii-iven  Moses  instructions  in  reo-nrd  to  thefoun- 
jiation  an<l  framework  of  the  tabernacle  "in  the  Mount  *  He  o-ave 
him  particular  orders  about  the  beautiful  curtains  with  which  it"  was 
to  be  covered  arouml  ami  overhead.     The  Jews  thou-ht  it  was  a  t  vpe 

founda  io    and   framework  of  the  material   universe,   in  the  second 
Its    embellishment   m  the  beautiful  aerial,  ethereal  coverino-s  which 
adorn  every  spluMv,  above  "and  on  either  side*'~mon^  heauUful,   hv 


S 


\ 


THE  STORY  OF  (RKATIOX. 


1). 


.( 


1i    -^ 


far,  than  the  red,  white  and  blue  of  the  artili<'ial  tabernacle. 

Think  of  that  fine  and  infinite  skill  which  adjusted  the  atmosphere 
so  as  to  i)rodiice  the  hi,ii:hest  pleasure,  not  only  to  His  human  chil- 
dren, but  also  to  every  sentient  creature.  In  its  j^erfect  blendint>:  of 
oolors  so  as  to  be  easy  aiid  pleasant  to  the  eyes,  and  to  <>^ive  the  most 
itj^reeable  emotions  to<»very  beholder  of  nature  in  her  ))cauty  and  love- 
liness— in  her  ,i>:randeur  an<l  majesty.  Without  the  influence  of  the 
iitmosphere  ii])on  the  sun's  rays  his  li^ht  would  be  painfid  to  our 
eyes:  but  this  was  ))rovided  for  us  l)efore  we  entered  in,  to  be  ready 
for  us  at  our  comin«;. 

in  its  perfect  system  of  acoustics  so  as  not  to  startle  our  feelings 
or  to  orate  upon  our  tynij^anums,  but  to  j^reet  our  ears  with  the  most 
harmonious  and  sweetest  sounds,  upon  its  perfeiM  vibrations  the 
human  voice,  especially  the  s))e<^cli  of  love,  is  sweeter  U>  u^  than  the 
finest  music. 

Who  will  not  ^ive  the  praise  due  unto  His  name  for  such  displays 
of  His  wisdom  and  of  His  <i:oodness  to  all  His  creatures,  and  espe- 
i'ially  to  the  children  of  men?  "Let  every  thin*,'  that  hath  breath 
prai.se  the  Lord."     Ps.  ir)0:(). 

"O  fair  second  day,  when  thou  cc^nest  forth;    /^ 

Usherin^^  star  nor  sun  didst  thy  steps  escort  I 

Thoujxh  under  thy  feet  were  crystal  waters  many, 

Sendin**-  forth  radiance  more  briii'ht. 

By  far,  than  millifins  of  sparklini;  y^ems. 

Thy  hands  ario:ht  to  ;ij:uide. 

Thou  wert  as  ha])py  as  (*harity! 

For  the  naked  worlds  <lidst  thou  take. 

And  robe,  as  in  <rarments  of  aerial  splend<>r. 

Xnd  then  for  their  deliiifht,  as  well  as  for  their  use. 

Filled  all  the  space  l^etwtMMi  with  ethereal  blue; 

And  these  to«i:ether  thou  <lldst  blend,  for  true. 

All  of  beautv*s  colors." 


V 


CIIAI'TKR   111 


THIRD  DAY'S  WORK. 

Thio  heavenly  bodies,  the  earth,  water,  lii,dit ,  atm(>spheric  and  t'the- 
real  air,  and  all  inherent  properties  beloni,nn<;  Xo  each  were 
i^reated  on  the  first  and  second  days;  so  after  this,  we  shall  see  that 
it  is  out*)f  these  the  others  are  made.  Hence  it  is  nn'ul :  ''God 
created  and  made."  Gen.  2:8.  The  marjrin  says:  "(-reated  to 
make.*'     He  created  them  for  the  purpose  of  niaking. 

Hitherto — since  the  middle  of  the  first  day — the  earth  was  covered 
all  over  with  water.     Doubtless  we  may  in  truth  say: 
And  now  she  was  a  sphere  of  even  surface, 
(-overed  all  o'er  with  water  of  ecpial  depth ; 
Nor  was  there  any  ice  to  be  humd. 
Anywhere,  the  whole  earth  around; 
For  from  centre  to  either  i)ole,  n 

A  jjentle  heat,  an  equal  warmth,  permeate<l  the  whole. 


I 


lu. 


TifK  STOIIV  OF  CKKATIOX. 


And  I  think  it  is  lii^hly  probal)!^  that  the  same  nii^^ht  be  truth- 
fully said  of  all  the  rest.  But  there  was  a  wonderful  experieuee 
await in.i<  the  earth  on  the  third  day;  and  perhaps  eaeh  of  the  others 
too.  By  the  bej^innin.i^  of  the  third  day  the  earth  had  become  suffi- 
eiently  stronjr,  solid,  comi)aeted  and  stratified  to  bear  the  great  strain 
the('i'eator  earried  herthrouirli  to«i:ive  her  that  uneven,  varie.i^'ated  sur- 
face she  has  since  had:  and  I  Ix'lieve  the  same  statement  can  be  truly 
made  in  rci^'ard  to  the  condition  and  ex|)erience  of  all  the  heavenly 
bodies.  (JcMi.  1  A).  'And  (Jod  said,  let  the  waters  under  the  heavens 
be  iCidhered  to^^ether  unto  one  place."  The  W(n'd  water  is  plural;  for 
this  reason,  perha|)s,  because  the  conunand  embraced  the  water  on 
other  spheres,  as  well  as  the  water  on  the  earth  ;  and  the  separation 
of  land  and  water  be  experienced  in  those  as  well  as  in  the  earth. 

"And  let  the  dry  land  a}jf)ear."  It  is  evident  from  this,  that  up  to 
this  time  the  whoh'  surface  of  the  earth — for  the  last  day  and  a  half — 
had  been  under  water.  The  land,  at  least  no  dry  land,  could  be  seen 
imtil  the  water  was  removed.  And  to  do  this  the  surface  of  the  earth 
must  be  broken  up  ijito  sufficient  inievenness.  In  the  very  sublime 
languaLTc  of  the  ('reator,  .Job  Ji8:l(>,  is  a  reference  to  this:  "And 
brake  up  for  it  my  decreed  j)lace.''  This  shows  that  He  had  a  fixed 
plan  in  His  mind  when,  or  before.  He  beufan  ;  and  that  before  this  the 
whole  surface  of  the  earth  was  even.  Ft  shows,  too,  how  He  formed 
the  sea,  an<l   brou<j:ht  up  the  dry  land. 

"And  it  was  so."  His  orders  were  promptly  obeyeil.  "The  waters 
saw  thee.  ()  God,  the  waters  saw  thee,  at  thy  rebuke  they  tied."  Ps. 
77:iH.  "At  the  v«Mce  of  thy  thunder  they  luisted  away."  Ps.  104: 
')-]().  It  was  the  majestic  voice  of  Him  who  afterward  said  to  the 
sea:  "Peace,  be  still."  Mark  4:89.  And  she  obeyed.  ''He  look- 
eth  upon  the  earth  and  it  trembleth,"  He  toucheth  the  hills  and  they 
smoke.  Tht*  mountains  How  down  at  His  prestMice.  The  presence  of 
the  (iod  of  the  whole  earth." 

The  whole  earth  was  convulsed  at  this  command.  She  heaved  and 
roared  like  a  thousand  volcanoes,  and  more ,j^reat  mountain  ranges 
came  up  cpiite  from  one  end  of  the  earth  to  the  other.  Inferior  (mes 
quite  parallel  with  them  formed  ranges  of  high  ridges — the  hills  came 
in  sight — and  the  great  table  lands  appeared.  Beautiful  islaiids  wert* 
formed  and  the  grand  continents  came  in  view.  The  waters  went  otT 
with  such  a  roaring  as  was  never  heard  before  nor  since.  It  exceeded 
the  flood  of  Noah.  For  then  the  assuagement  of  the  water  was  grad- 
ual— by  natural  processes.      But  now  it  was  sudden,  miraculous. 

They  nu)ved  with  a  mighty,  rushing  power,  sweeping  ftui  glens, 
ravines  and  canyons  through  the  mountain  sides — forming  chaimels 
through  the  |)lainsfor  great  rivers  and  for  all  streams  of  water;  scoop- 
ing out  basins  for  ponds,  lakes,  gulfs,  bays,  seas  and  oceans.  What 
a  grand  scene  it  was!  Xow  that  happy  aJlusion  of  the  Psalmist,  I(>4: 
6-S,  began  to  be  realized.  For  then  the  waters  went  up  by,  or  with, 
the  mountains,  and  down  by  the  valleys.  And  they  hiive  done  S() 
ever  since. 

Hence  well  diggers  find  veins  of  water  almost  anywhere  thev  dig  a 
well  or  bore  for  the  deeper  water.  In  many  limestone  countries 
streams  of  water  are  known  to  gush  forth  at  the  foot  of  hills  or  other 


i 


> 


w 


THE  STORY  OF  ('HFATION 


11 


places — form  springs,  ponds  or  lakes — an<l  be  lost  underground  again 
in  their  exit  to  the  sea.  Hence,  too,  ocean  explorers  find  mouths  of 
rivers  emptying  into  the  ocean  far  below  the  surface  of  the  earth.  As 
in  the  human  In^dy  the  blood  is  propelled  from  the  heart  upwards  to 
the  highest  extremities  as  well  as  downward  to  the  lowest,  whether 
the  person  is  lying  horizontal  or  standing  erect. 

So  in  the  earth,  from  the  ocean  water  is  i)ropelle(l  through  the 
ground  and  up  under  the  surface  to  the  highest  ])oints  of  land;  as  we 
r»ee  on  the  to])S  of  the  highest  mountains  springs  of  cool,  ])uri»  water 
and  limpid  fountains  flowing  from  them.  Thence  they  descend  in 
rills  and  brooks  and  larger  streams,  singing  as  they  go  on  their  heaven 
appointed  mission — to  water  and  replenish  the  earth — blessing  wher- 
ever they  go,  all  sentient  natiu'e  with  life  and  joy.  As  the  prophet 
says  of  the  spiritual  waters,  * 'everything  liveth  where  they  come.'' 
Ez.  47:0.  By  which  process  the  waters  are  relieved  of  impurities,  and 
the  surface  of  the  earth  renewed.     Ps.  104 :8(). 

These  laws,  fixed  on  the  third  day  of  Creation — like  all  the 
rest — have  stood  fast  unto  this  day.  How  wise  and  how  good  are  all 
His  works!     Who  shall  fail  to  praise  Him. 

"And  (rod  called  the  dry  land  Earth;  and  the  gathering  together 
of  the  wat<3rs  called  He  Seas."  It  was  His  privilege  to  name  them — 
not  by  right  of  discovery,  but  of  authorshij).  He  was  the  first  geo- 
grapher. On  this  day  He  fixed  the  natural  geography  of  the  wliole 
earth,  reserving  to  Himself  the  right  to  make  such  changes  from  time 
to  time  as  he  saw  fit.  .lust  so,  too,  with  the  geology  of  all  the  earth — 
reserving  to  Himself  the  inherent  right  to  make  such  changes  in  it  as 
He  saw  proper  from  time  to  time.  He  w^as  the  first  geologist.  It  is 
wise  for  a  man  to  he  careful  how  he  treads  upon  these  subjects. 

If  any  man  will  considc^r  the  tremendous  forces  that  were  necessary 
to  bring  the  earth  from  the  previous  condition  she  had  on  the  first  and 
second  days  of  creat  ion  to  that  forui — shapement  of  general  contour — 
which  He  gave  heron  this  day — the  third — He  will  see  in  it  aloxk 
sufficient  reasons  to  account  for  all  geologists  have  complained  of. 
The  force  that  would  raise  not  only  one,  but  ma!iy  mountains  miles 
jibove  the  sea  level  and  sink  the  deeps  to  as  great  distances  below  is 
sufficient  to  account  for  all  the  breaks  and  irregularities  in  the  gen- 
eral structure  of  the  earth.  And  truly  all  that  we  know  about  it  is 
but  little  compared  to  that  which  we  do  not  know. 

Now  He  gave  to  the  seas  their  l)ounds  and  said  to  them,  thus  far 
shall  ye  come,  and  no  farther,  unless  I  give  you  orders.  "And  God 
saw  tliat  it  was  good.  "     So  it  was.     Who  could   have  niade  it  better? 

The  earth  was  now  in  a  fine  condition  for  vegetation,  and  the  (-rea- 
tor  gave  her  vegetative  powers.  And  out  of  the  earth  He  caused  grass 
to  spring  up  without  "seeding  it  down."  Observe  everything^  was 
created  in  adult  form,  or  else  rapidly  came  to  it  miraculously.  Every 
plant  that  had  fieed  in  itself  reproduced  itself  afterward  by  natural 
processes.  Of  cjnirse  so?ne  plants  can  be  reproduced  by  slips,  grafts, 
buds  and  scions.  And  naturalists  say  some  of  the  lowest  forms  of 
animal  life,  in  certain  waters,  can  be  reproduced  by  budding.  But  in 
b r)th  cases  the  species  is  ])reserved  through  the  sap  or  blood,  or  that 
fluid  which  answers  for  blood,  which  is  as  tn^ed.     F^or  the  life  is  in  the 


12. 


TMK  STOKV  OF  (^RKATIOX. 


blood  in  tlic  one,  luid  in  the  sap  in  tlu'  other. 

''And  (Jod  said,  let  the  earth  hrin.u:  forth  <;rass.'*  Or,  let  the  earth 
bud  forth  the  biiddin«r  ^'rass.  This  word  seeins  powerless  in  itself; 
but  the  earth  heard  and  obeyed.  The  whole  surface  of  the  arable 
hmd  was  soon  covered  with  tender,  sprinj^nn*?  grass.  \Miat  a  beauti- 
ful scene  I  A  viririn  j^lobe,  except  where  water  intervened,  covered 
with  prettiest  <rr(M^n !  Earth  has  no  meadows,  or  other  landscape 
views,  now  that  can  coni|)are,  in  extent  or l)eauty,  or  loveliness,  with  it . 

Soon  it  was  in  bloom,  wavin.^;  in  the  irentle  breezes,  which  wafted 
the  aroma  to  the  skies  to  reji:ale  the  sense  of  smell  in  ariiifcls  and  in 
God.  (Jen.  <S:21.  For,  nor  men,  nor  women,  but  anirtds  enjoyed  with 
tlu^irreat  Creator  this  first  viririn  sweetness  that  arose,  as  trrateful 
incense,  froin  the  bosom  of  the  earth.  Numerous  other  flowers  min- 
gled with  the  flowering  grass.  How  sweet  I  How  pretty  I  For  all 
flowering  plants  and  harmless  weeds — such  as  were  designed  only  for 
beauty  or  sweetness,  from  the  tiniest  to  the  greatest,  were  now  crea- 
ted in  their  highest  perfection.  How  fragrant  was  earth's  atmos- 
phere then.  Twas  a  luxury  to  breathe  in  it.  (),  scene  of  exquisite 
beauty  and  perfect  sweetness  I  what  a  pity  thou  wert  ever  marred  by 
the  cruel  tread  of  sin  I 

But  in  the  midst  of  it  all  there  was  a  lack.      For  the  Lord   did    not 
have  a  man  to  till  His  la!id.     (»en.  2:5.     To   supply   to  some   extent 
this  want  He  helped  the  fertile  powers  of  the  virgin  earth   by  causing 
a  mist  to    rise — ascend    from    the  waters — and   to    ii:entlv    water   the 
whole  face  of  the  ground,     (ien.  2  :(>. 

By  His  next  word  He  called  for  all  kinds  of  herbs  yielding  seed. 
Soon  they  appeared;  ifi  sufficient  (piantities,  scattered  over  the  land, 
with  all  manner  of  grain  suitable  for  food  for  man,  or  beast,  or  fowl, 
s^prang  up  ainong  the  grass  and  weeds  and  fiowers,  grew,  bloomed 
and  rapidly  went  to  maturity. 

By  His  next  ('ommand  came  forth  out  of  the  f(M*tile  soil  all  manner 
of  fruit  trees,  yielding  fruit  after  their  kind.  Whether  any  or  all 
of  these  were  created  oidy  in  genera,  or  each  in  its  own  species,  we 
are  not  informed.  But  He  did  all  that  was  then  necessary,  reserving 
to  Himself  the  right  to  multiply  in  each  genus,  each  species,  and 
in  each  variety  afterwards,  as  the  whole  world  should  need.  And  the 
same  applies  to  all  the  rest. 

I'nder  that  all  generating  word  they  cpiickly  sprang  up — here  and 
there — beautiful  spaces  apart — and  the  fruit-bearing  vines  along  with 
them — some  of  wliich  are  sometimes  called  vine-trees. 

Tt  would  have  delighted  you  to  have  seen  that  process.  How 
quickly  they  grew  :  How  sweetly  they  bloomed  !  And  how  ranidly 
the  fruit  ripened!  All  holding  themselves  in  readiness  for  the  com- 
ing heirs,  so  when  they  should  come  no  creature  would  find  any  lack. 

Some  of  all  our  species — of  all  of  the  tr(.f)ics— of  all  of  the  whole 
earth — with  the  sweet  berry-bearing  vines  of  nil  lands,  and  of  all 
kinds— were  then  created.  And  the  sweet  cane  that  bears  the  sac- 
chari!ie  juice  out  of  which  the  most  of  the  world's  supply  of  sugar  is 
made,  with  the  sugar  maple  and  all  vines  which  bear  sweet  nu'^lons 
whether  for  perfumes  or  for  eating  puri)oses.     How  delicious  thev  -ire 


( 


.J 


< 


> 


THE  STOKY  OF  OREATIOX.' 


The  Israelites  in  the  wilderness 


18. 


longed  for 


on  a  hot  summer  dav ! 
them.     Num.  W  :♦'). 

This  command  included  the  persimmon,  the  chinquapin,  the  chest- 
nut, the  hickory  nut,  the  walnut,  the  almond,  the  pecan,  and  all 
other  kinds.  And  how  the  boys  do  love  them  in  the  winter  time, 
whether  the}'  think  about  who  made  them  or  not.  And,  too,  the  field 
pea,  the  turnip,  the  potato,  the  chufa  and  the  goober.  Then  c^me  (J^ 
the  shrubs — the  huckleberry,  the  sugarberry,  the  haw — red  and 
black — and  currants,  all  after  their  kind.  Last  of  all,  the  majestic 
forest  trees  at  His  bidding  sprang  up  on  the  hills,  ridges,  mountains, 
and  here  and  there  all  about  over  thf  plains,  in  sufficient  quantities 
for  His  present  purposes,  to  bear  food  for  the  living  creatures  and  for 
man's  use  and  comfort  as  his  needs  should  require. 

A  sufficient  number  of  all  kinds  of  vegetable  growth  were  created 
on  this  day  to  answer  all  immediate  purposes;  and  these  were  the 
originals  all  have  since  sprang  from.  He  said  whose  seed  is  in  itself. 
Gen.  1 :12;  after  its  kind.  An  interesting  scene  it  was,  surpassing  all 
the  thought  of  men  or  angels.  How  beautiful  every  landscape  of 
earth  then  !  How  fragrant  all  her  atmosphere,  from  bloom  and  well- 
ripened  fruit !  No  unsoundness,  no  disease,  no  decay,  no  death— of 
any  kind — anywhere.  Everything  perfectly  beautiful,  everything 
perfectly  pure,  everything  perfectly  healthy.  The  happy  days  and 
nights  were  then  of  equal  length  everywhere  on  earth — her  tempera- 
ture equally  pleasant  all  over  her  surface.  Grand,  lovely  world  she  was ! 

We  should  consider  the  fact  that  the  Creator  did  not  have  to  cease  " 
his  work  to  rest  at  night.  Night  is  peculiar  to  us.  The  Lord  expe- 
riences no  night.  His  work  was  all  around  the  earth  alike,  and  while 
it  is  day  here  it  is  night  there.  And  His  work,  too,  may  have  gone 
on  upon  all  the  planets  as  on  the  earth.  His  providence  works  alike 
both  day  and  night  in  all  the  earth  now.  When  that  mist  arose  it 
would  correspond  with  the  rise  of  the  morning  in  the  longitude 
whence  Moses  wrote.  The  natural  humidity  of  the  earth  about  that 
time — the  middle  of  the  four  and  twenty  hours  of  the  third  day  of 
Creation — might  cause  dew\  fog  and  mist,  as  is  common  on  damp 
mornings.  It  must  have  been  a  strain  on  the  fertility  of  the  earth  to 
BRING  forth  this  vegetation  with  its  seed  in  itself,  which  means  adult 
state  for  every  species  of  plant  life.  And  her  spontaneous  produc- 
tion was  helped  by  that  mist.  We  must  bear  in  mind  that  it  was  all 
miraculous.  Without  duly  appreciating  this  principle  it  cannot,  at 
all  be  comjirehended — it  is  understood  only  l)y  faith. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  all  this  growth  was  under  His  temporary 
system  of  light.  Thus  far  it  was  accomplished  without  sunlight.  It 
is  also  wortiiy  of  note  that  there  was  no  rain  (Gen.  2:5)  before  light 
and  heat  were  referred  to  the  sun.  And  further,  that  Creation  did 
not  extend  into  the  animal  kingdom  until  after  sunlight  was  produced. 

AFuch  of  the  surface  of  the  earth  was  made  non-productive.  It  is 
worth  more  to  mankind  at  large,  than  if  it  was  all  productive. 
Although  like  the  homely  woman — naturally  uninviting — yet  like 
her,  it  bears  the  richer  treasure  than  the  beautiful ;  for  the  appar- 
ently useless  parts  of  the  earth  are  richly  endowed  with  minerals  and 
valuable  metals    pouring    more  wealth  into  the   lap  of   the  civilized 


14. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


't 


world  tlian  so  many  acres  of  her  surface  under  happy  cultivation. 
Hence,  He  made  f^reat  quarries  of  granite,  beds  of  marble,  and  of  other 
kinds  of  rocks  and  stones,  coal,  minerals,  metals,  with  crystals  and 
diamonds,  in  layers,  veins  and  leads;  for  the  use  of  man  as  he  should 
have  need.  And  as  He  should  from  time  to  time  lead  his  thouj^dits  to 
search  for  them  ;  leavini;  him  not  without  j^uides  to  find  them.  Like 
the  heavenly  treasure  it  is  hid.  He  has  to  search  for  it.  And  it 
shall— with  joy— be  found.  Matt.  J8:44-4G.  Both  are  alike  for  those 
who  seek. 

In  layin<^  (so  to  speak)  the  foundations  of  the  earth,  strength  and 
stability  were  necessary  for  the  great  strain  of  that  life  and  its  oper- 
ations she  was  to  sustain,  and  that  increasing  more  and  more  with 
larger  i)rcssure  through  all  time  to  come.  Hence  He  made  her  solid, 
and  strongly  stratified  her  with  the  strongest  sinews,  belts  of  rock 
and  stone.  But  if  she  had  been  more  dense  she  had  been  too  sterile 
to  support  her  millions  of  inhabitants.  If  she  had  been  less  dense 
she  would  have  been  too  weak  to  bear  the  great  weight  that  should 
press  upon  her  surface.  He  made  her  just  right.  The  less  density 
of  the  great  planets — as  Jupiter — shows  that  they  were  not  designed 
for  human,  nor  even  animal  life— that  they  are  not  suited  for  it.  It 
is  obvious  that  their  offices  are  to  serve  as  our  earth,  and  they  give 
glory  to  the  Creator  in  doing  that  service!  ' 

''It  was  so,''  as  He  commanded  it  to  be.  Every  one  has  descended 
down  to  us  '^after  his  kind."  In  permitting  them  to  grow  together 
in  the  same  forest,  in  the  same  field,  and  in  all  lands,  yet  preserving 
each  genus  and  each  species  in  its  own  individuality,  without  mixing 
with  others.  What  a  wonderful  insight  and  oversight  is  this!  Xoth"^ 
ing  short  of  infinite  wisdom  and  divine  power  could  have  done  it.  If 
He  has  suffered  any  changes  they  are  few,  and  are  alike  for  the  best 
and  agreeable  to  His  will. 

"And  Ood  saw  that  it  was  good.''  So  it  was,  and  let  men  say  so. 
It  ail  merited  the  divine  approval.  It  may  mean  the  critical  jud*'- 
ment  of  God  the  Father.  He  received  and  blessed  the  work  of  His 
?on  who  in  creation  was,  as  after  in  redemption,  carrying  out  the  will 
^f  His  Father. 

"And  the  evening  and  the  morning  were  the  third  day."     A  irreat 
day  s  work  it  was.     When  we  look  at  its  particulars  it  seems  it  would 
keep  Him  busy  enough.     But  again     it  appears  to   have   been  easv 
for  He  only  spake  the  word  and  it  was  instantly  done 

Without  irreverence,  if  we  could  do  that,  fruit  raising  and  farming 

wou  d  be  very  easy.     But  we  may  remember,  if  sin  had  not  been  we 

would  not  have  even  to  command,  but  would  have  only  to  jrather  the 

ruits  of  the  earth,  and  they  would  be  free  for  all.     No  wcVnder  men 

have  written  of  a  golden  past.     It  reaches  back  to  Eden 

Andnowwith  all  our  pride  we  are  but  low  descents  from  hidi 
originals.  This  is  the  marred  state  of  original  beauty.  Sin  Tn stead 
of  holiness,  weakness  instead  of  strength,  mortality  instead  of  life 
s  rain  instead  of  happy  leisure-for  devotion,  scarcitv  instead  oi 
penty;  danger,  instead  of  safety  ;  pain  instead  of  ease  ;  misen^  ins  ead 
of  happiness ;  war  instead  of  peace.  But  the  second  ami  sin les^  Adlm 
promises  a  second  paradise.     A  gift  but  won  by  being  pre^  red  fo M t 


I 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION 


Jo. 


i 


And  that  is  the  hard  part  "of  it."     The  majority   do  not   choose  to 
prepare.     If   it  comes  to  them  when  they  will  be  thankful  for  it,  it  is 
when  they  have  nothing  else.     But  alas,  alas,  when  the  sick  find  out  .V 
they  are  poor,  and  none  to  help ! 

This  day's  work  seems  to  have  been  confined  to  the  earth,  yet  what 
may  have  been  done  in  other  spheres  we  are  not  informed.  When 
God  had  His  inspired  servants  to  write  the  history  of  their  own  peo- 
ple He  had  them  to  touch  the  history  of  other  nations  only  as  they  came 
in  contact  with  them.  So  in  giving  the  history  of  the  creation  of  the 
earth  and  of  all  that  in  it  is  He  touches  upon  the  creation  of  other 
spheres  only  so  far  as  they  are  related  to  us  in  order  to  make  ours 
complete. 

But  it  is  not  unreasonable  to  suppose  that  the  third  day  was  the 
time  when  He  gave  the  other  planets  their  uneven,  permanent  sur- 
faces, as  He  did  the  earth.  And  whether  they  have  any  bodies  of 
water  or  not,  it  is  obvious  that  they  can  do  us  better  service  as  they 
are.  Having  uneven  surfaces  makes  them  better  radiators  of  both 
heat  and  light ;  as  they  would  absorb  and  hold  the  more  of  each ; 
they  can  do  us  more  good  in  the  night,  as  farmers  observe  the  cotton 
plant  grows  more  in  the  night  than  in  the  day ;  or  does  best  on  warm 
nights.  It  is  legitimate  to  reason  from  analogy.  So  the  known  truth 
is  a  stepping-stone  from  which  we  may  reach  unto  the  unknown.  In 
this  broad  view  of  this  day's  work  it  grows  upon  us  as  truly,  divinely 


great . 


Happy  third  day,  Thou  didst  look  out  upon 

A  newly  framed  universe,  with  worlds, 

Both  greater  and  smaller  in  rapid  whirls. 

In  exquisite  beauty  garnished  all — 

Each  with  w^ater  clear  as  glass  covered  o'er; 

All  as  quiet  as  e'er  was  maiden  bosom 

I" n moved  by  love ! 

And  as  forth  from  the  womb  of  evenness, 

To  see  the  hills  and  mountains  rise 

All  adrip  with  the  brilliant  waters; 

Which  to  all  eyes  presented  scenes  more  splendid ! 

And  then,  to  hear  those  tremendous  .sounds. 

That  first  tried  the  acoustics  of  the  skies. 

Compared  with  which  Cotopaxi,  Etna,  Vesuvius, 

And  all  the  belching  host  were  but  babes. 

And  to  witness,  too,  the  forth  flowing 

Of  the  rapid,  roaring  streams 

That  filled  all  the  atmosphere  with  echoing  music ; 

Which  would  make  happy  childhood  shout  for  joy. 

True,  Thou  wert  blest!    And  more.  Thine  it  was  to  see, 

Nature's  first  opening  bloom. 

To  catch  her  sweet  virgin  fragrance — 

To  first  delight  thine  eyes  with  all  her  flowering  beauty — 

Then,  in  that  ravishing  scene  of  beauty. 

And  of  sweetness,  more,  to  feast  thy  sight  and  smell 

Upon  her  perfect  fruit. 

Yea,  thrice  blest,  wast  thou! 


IC.  THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

FOURTH  DAY'S  WORK. 

I  BELiKVE  the  sun,  moon  and  stars  were  all  created  on  the  first  day 
—at  its  be<'innlnj?— set  in  motion  in  their  respective  orbits,  assio:ned 
their  pUices  in  space,  as  each  required  in  the  Creator's  plan ;  and  had 
fulfilled  their  Master's  will  up  to  this  time;  but  now  He  sets  them  as 
sentinels  over  the  earth,  assigns  to  each  his  post,  and  qualihes  him 
for  hisdutv.     (xen.  1  :]4-19. 

He  now  Hothes  the  sun  with  li<?ht  and  with  heat.  Also,  m  some 
wav  or  other,  sufficient  to  sustain  that  lij?ht.  Whether  by  means  of 
nebulse,  or  otherwise,  it  is  done.  If  he  is  a  ^lobe  of  fire  he  was  not 
icnited  until  the  fourth  day  of  Creation.  It  may  be  gathering  so 
much  li^ht  about  him  made  him  so  warm  and  bri<?ht,  that  he  has  ever 
since  appeared  as  if  he  were  a  world  on  fire. 

He  is  the  most  strikinj^  fij^iire  of  his  Master  of  anythincr  m  all  in- 
animate nature.  "The  Lord  God  is  a  sun."  Ps.  84:11.  ''Our  God 
is  a  consuming  fire."  Heb.  12  :29.  Christ  is  the  light  of  the  world, 
and  the  sun  of  righteousness. 

The  sun  is  now  made  master  of  the  light,  which  had  existed  from 
the  middle  of  the  first  day.  Up  to  this  time  the  day  and  the  night 
had  been  divided  by  other  means;  but  now  power  is  given  to  the  sun 
to  separate  the  day  from  the  night ;  and  by  the  common  consent  of 
all  men  he  does  it  yet. 

The  moon  is  made  mistress  over  the  night,  reflecting  the  glory  of 
the  sun,  and  of  her  Creator,  in  a  milder  form.  In  this  office,  how- 
ever, she  seems  to  be  very  fickle,  sometimes  giving  us  much  light, 
now  little,  then  none  at  all.  She  is  called  the  lesser  light.  We  see 
that  that  is  true,  but  is  called  a  great  light  when  compared  with  the 
stars;  and  so  she  appears  to  every  eye.  And  in  regard  to  our  world 
it  is  certainly  true. 

It  is  far  better  for  these,  as  they  do,  to  receive  light  and  heat  from 
the  sun  for  us,  and  when  we  see  him  not,  kindly  help  us  through  the 
nitrht — and  though  unseen  by  day — they  may  help  us  then  ;  as  many 
a  faithful  friend  is  thinking  of  us,  and  blessing  us,  when  we  know  it 
not;  for  by  this  joint  action  of  the  heavenly  host  we  are  best  served. 
Even  the  fixed  stars,  it  is  said,  send  us  an  appreciable  amount  of  light 
and  heat,  which  make  our  nights  better  suited  for  vegetation. 

It  is  not  definitely  said  that  He  made  the  comets,  but  they  are  em- 
braced in  the  expression,  "all  things."  Ex.  20:11.  "He  made  the 
stars  also."  That  is.  He  then  gave  to  each  his  proportion  of  light  and 
heat  to  refiect  upon  us,  according  to  his  position  in  relation  to  the 
earth.  This  is  all  that  is  said,  if  one  may  so  speak,  of  the  regions 
outside  of  our  solar  system  ;  and  after  all  the  investigations  that  have 
been  made,  but  little  is  known  of  the  fixed  stars.  Yet  it  is  wonder- 
ful that  men  have  been  able  to  do  as  much  as  they  have  in  this  field 
of  knowledge.  I  believe  they  were  created  at  the  same  time  ours  were, 
and  are  of  the  same  general  characteristics.  The  bulk  of  the  bodies 
of  the  sun,  moon  and  stars  must  have  been  created  on  the  first  day, 
as  we  have  before  endeavored  to  show. 


I 


\ 


THE  STORY  OF  (CREATION. 


17 


i     ' 


Reasoning  from  what  is  said  of  the  earth  in  the  sacred  narrative, 
we  would  suppose  that  the  progress  of  creation  in  them  took  a  simi- 
lar course  to  what  it  did  in  the  earth  up  to  the  fourth  day.  As  chil- 
dren of  the  same  parent  have  a  general  resemblance  to  each  other,  so 
we  would  suppose  that  all  the  material  worlds  being  from  the  same 
author,  would  have  the  same  general  features.;  would  have  also  like 
experiejices.  If  there  is  plant  life  in  any  of  them  we  would  suppose  it 
to  be  like  ours,  as  far  as  prevailing  conditions  would  permit.  And  if 
they  have  any  waters,  and  any  forms  of  animal  life  l)e  in  them,  we 
w^ould  suppose  they  would  be  as  are  ours. 

I  understand  the  text  to  teach,  that  on  the  fourth  day  the  light 
which  had  been  created  before  was  then  concentrated  'ui  the  body  of, 
or  around  the  sun  ;  that  he  was  then  made  self-luminous  and  the 
source  of  light,  and  of  heat,  to  all  the  rest,  unless  there  are  some  too 
remote,  and  supplied  by  other  means. 

He  is  here  called  the  greater  light,  as  compared  with  the  moon, 
elsewhere  by  the  inspired  writers,  the  sun  ;  made  a  great  light  on  the 
fourth  day  of  creation  ;  appointed  by  his  great  Master  to  rule  the  day. 
Now  qualified  for  that  great  office  and  installed  in  it.  Authorized  to 
divide  the  day  from  the  night.  He  has,  on  account  of  his  great  office 
and  his  happy  work,  the  honor  to  be  compared  with  his  Maker,  who 
is  a  sun  of  righteousness,  to  lighten  the  heart  and  mind  of  imui,  and 
set  his  soul  aflame  with  loving  devotion. 

At  that  time  He  made  another  great  light — the  lesser  light — called 
elsewhere  in  the  Scriptures,  the  moon.  She  was  now  qualified  for  and 
installed  in  her  beautiful  office,  as  ruler  of  the  night.  She  was 
authorized  to  dispel  all  the  darkness  she  could,  and  bless  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  earth  with  her  gentle  light. 

He  made  the  stars  also.  On  the  fourth  day  He  only  had  to  qualify 
them  for,  and  install  them  in  their  several  offices,  which  He  did ;  and 
it  all  had  reference  to  the  earth.     ''To  give  light  upon  the  earth." 

The  parallel  texts  give  much  information  on  the  subject.  Job.  88: 
82.  At  this  place  in  the  revised  version  we  have  this  marginal  read- 
ing: "The  Signs  of  the  Zodiac,"  wiiich,  I  think,  is  correct,  for  in  the 
text  it  is :  "Mazzaroth  in  their  season."  It  is  a  common  belief  that 
the  passage  of  the  sun  through  the  twelve  signs  of  the  Zodiac  brings 
us  our  four  seasons  of  the  year — "in  their  season."  And  that  text 
which  says  they  shall  "be  for  signs,  and  for  seasons,  and  for  days, 
and  for  years,"  is  fulfilled. 

With  the  earth,  the  sun,  moon  and  stars,  they  register  the  days  and 
the  years  of  earth ;  and  are  the  regulators  of  the  seasons  of  the  year; 
and  "the  constellations  of  the  stars  have  become  the  established  twelve 
signs  of  the  Zodiac,  and  from  time  unknown  to  history,  farmers  have 
looked  to  them  for  signs  to  assist  them  in  their  pursuits.  They  often 
sav  to  one  another,  I  believe  in  the  moon.  Willi  many  it  controls 
as^to  the  best  time  to  plant  their  different  kinds  of  crops,  and  vege- 
tables of  all  kinds— for  cutting  timber  for  boards,  rails  and  lumber, 
and  for  saving  pork  and  bacon.  And  the  influence  that  the  twelve 
signs  have  in  indicating  the  course  of  the  blood  in  the  animal  system 
is~of  especial  importance  to  stock  handlers.  I  have  myself  lost  by 
not  following  more  strictlv  the  criterion  as  given  in  our  almanacs. 


IS. 


THE  STORV  OF  CRf:ATI()X. 


Just  the  otiier  day  I  had  the  misfortune  to  eut  a  deep  i^ash  i"  '"X 
left  hand  while  pruMiii;^  a  p^'Jieh  tree.  Notiein«(  that  it  bled  but  little, 
I  thought  about  where  the  si^n  mijrht  be.  I  looked  in  the  ahnanac; 
it  indicated  the  heart.     Fortunate  for  nie,  no  doubt,  that  it  was. 

Of  course  the  physieiati  eonsi<1ers  where  the  si«rn  is  w  hen  he  has  to 
perform  a  surjrieal'operation.  If  it  is  at  a  time,  as  the  farmer  would 
say.  wiien  the  si«rn  is  wronu;.  it  may  prove  very  unfortunate. 

The  Lord  said  they  shall  be  for  sii^ns ;  and  often  we  see  its  truth 
demonstraled  before  our  eyes,  and  it  is  evidence  of  the  ^'eneral  truth 

of  the  Bibh\ 

In  the  Ft.  V.  we  have  this  readin;^^  in  the  latter  part  of  that  verse: 
"Or  canst  Thou  .iruide  the  Bear  with  her  train. "  That  is  the  constel- 
lation called  the  Bear  near  the  north  pole;  anciently  called  Arctiirus. 
By  some  authors  called  Major  Ursa — the  great  Bear,  and  another  one 
called  Minor  Frsa— the  little  Bear.  The  text  may  include,  perhaps, 
both  of  them.  Her  train  means  all  the  stars  in  that  division  of  the 
Zodiac,  in  the  authorized  version  called, ''An'turus  with  his  sons,'' 
havinjT  reference,  in  sublime  diction,  to  all  the  stars  in  that  sign  of 
the  Zodiac. 

And  .lob  ;iS  .'M,  R.  V. :  ''(^anst  Thou  bind  the  Cluster  of  Pleiades, 
or  loose  tiie  bands  of  Orion?"  These  are  two  separate  constellations 
of  stars  in  the  Zodiac.  Here  is  especial  mention  of  four,  or  at  least 
three  of  the  signs  of  the  Zodiac.  And  in  .lob.  9:9,  R.  V.,  "Which 
maketh  the  Bear,  Orion  and  the  Pleiades,  and  the  (/hambers  of  the 
south."  The  Chambers  of  the  south  mean  the  signs  or  constellations 
in  the  Southern  hemisphere  of  the  Zodiac.  The  Bear  is  north  and  the 
other  two  equinoctial :  so  doubtless  the  text  is  intended  to  embrace 
the  whole  circle. 

Amos  <r):H,  "Seek  Him  that  maketh  the  seven  stars,  R.  V.  Pleiades 
and  Orion;  the  Lord  is  His  name."'  ''Which  giveth  the  sun  for  a 
light  by  day  and  the  moon  and  stars  for  a  light  by  night .  The  Lord 
of  hosts  is  His  name."  Jer.  lU  :H').  "He  telleth  the  number  of  the 
stars;  He  calleth  them  all  by  their  names."  Ps.  1(>7:4,  R.  V.  He 
telleth  the  number  of  the  stars;  He  giveth  all  their  names,  unre- 
vealed  to  us.  Astronomers  have  never  learned  them,  but  they  are 
known  iii  Heaven.  They  are  His  possessions — His  servants — perhaps 
report  to  His  throne  every  day. 

Jo))  88:fM.  The  Lord  here  speaks  of  "the  sweet  influences  of  Plei- 
ades." It  may  mean  that  Constellation;  or,  as  the  ancients  do  not 
seem  to  have  known  but  seven  planets,  it  may  allnde  to  them ;  or,  as 
those  four  constellations  mentioned  s])ecitically  in  the  Scriptures  have 
each  .seven  principal  stars,  it  may  put  the  number  seven  forthe  whole 
starrv  host.  It  mav,  however,  mean  that  as  the  sun  enters  that  sitrn 
in  April,  which  is  the  principal  month  for  the  flowers  to  bloom,  that 
the  stars  help  to  impart  sweetness  to  them. 

If  so,  then  wheti  the  time  of  ripening  comes,  the  sign  where  the  sun 
would  be  would  help  to  impart  sweetness  to  the  fruit.  As  the  Lord 
speaks  of  their  sweet  influences  they  must  have  something  to  do  with 
the  sweetness  of  earth's  bloom  and  fruit,  of  our  grain,  vegetables, 
melons,  sugarcane,  and  everything  that  is  sweet,  in  the  bloom  and 
in  the  matured  frnit  of  every  kind. 


/ 


I 


THK  STORY  OF  (^RFATIOX. 


19. 


A' 


It  takes  the  joint  influence  of  the  sun,  moon  and  all  the  stars,  with 
the  earth,  to  produce  the  results  that  the  Lord  wanted  produced — the 
results  which  are  produced.  A  proof  of  it  is  that  the  honey-dew  forms 
at  night.  And  how  sweet  the  flowers  in  the  opening  morn  I  See  how 
fresh  in  tlie  morning  are  the  morning  glories;  taking  in  sweetness 
through  the  night  while  we  slept — so  did  all  the  flowering  host — to 
bless  us,  if  we  think  enough  of  them  when  we  pass  to  stop  and  look 
at  them,  and  take  time  for  their  fragrance  to  regale  us. 

As  the  strong  hands  of  the  men  do  the  harder  work,  leaving  the 
lighter  for  the  children,  and  the  delicate  for  the  women,  so  the  sun 
with  his  great  power  does  that  through  the  day  for  us  which  none 
other  can  do,  and  the  stars  at  night  do  for  us  a  lighter  work,  which 
the  sun  could  not  do,  and  the  moon,  as  with  delicate  hands,  puts  on 
the  finishing  touches. 

Nor  did  the  sweet  manna  ever  come  by  day,  but  at  night,  wiiile 
Israel  slept.  So  it  takes  them  all  in  concert  with  the  earth  to  do  the 
perfect  work  the  Lord  wants  done.  And  just  think,  it  is  all  done  for 
us.  Let  us  thank  Him  for  it — well  and  good.  For  it  is  the  Lord  that 
leadeth  forth  the  Mazzaroth  in  their  season,  blessing  all  as  they  go. 
Yet,  no  doubt  their  happiest  eft'ects  have  oft  been  interrupted  as  a 
chastisement  for  the  sins  of  numkind. 

When  you  consider  the  great  forces  in  all  nature,  which  the  Bible 
teaches  are  in  operation  for  the  benefit  of  the  earth,  you  may  think 
that  the  output  does  not  justify  the  outlay  of  means.  Ps.  8:8-8,  "but 
"the  Lord  seeth  not  as  man  seeth."  1  Sam.,  16:7.  Some  of  the  mine 
owners  in  upper  (leorgia  took  Bob  Toombs  once,  when  on  a  visit  i!i 
their  country,  to  see  the  vast  works  that  were  going  on  to  separate 
the  gold  from  the  ore.  After  showing  him  the  whole  process,  and  the 
merchantable  dust  produced,  they  asked  him  what  he  thought  of  it. 
He  said:  "I  think  it  takes  six  dollars  to  get  one.'"  That  is  about  the 
way  some  writers  seem  to  think  of  what  the  Bible  teaclies  as  to  the 
interest  the  Lord  takes  in  the  earth,  but  Mr.  Toombs'  opinion  did  not 
stop  a  single  Jiian  of  them  from  operating  his  mine.  They  had  had  ^ 
experience,  he  had  not. 

On  the  fourth  day  He  gave  them  those  qualities  and  installed  them 
in  those  offices  that  have  ever  since,  by  consent  of  all,  constituted 
them  sun,  moon  and  stars.  And  He,  Himself,  first  gave  them  those 
names,  which  He  had  a  perfect  right  to  do,  for  he  was  the  first  of  all 
astronomers. 

The  Scriptures  everywhere  ascribe  the  creation  of  them  all  to  tbe 
Lord,  with  a  most  happy  positiveness,as  any  one  can  see  by  consult- 
ing the  parallel  passages  on  these  subjects.  Yea,  the  same-  voice  that 
in  superb  grandeur  said  at  first,  "Let  there  be  light,"  now  said,  "Let 
there  be  lights  in  the  firmament,  and  it  was  so."  And  for  this  pur- 
pose:     "To  give  light  upon  the  earth. 

If  the  moon  and  the  stars  shine  through  the  night,  they  shine  just 
as  nuich  in  the  day,  but  are  invisible  to  us  on  account  of  the  =^un's 
superior  light.  Their  light  is  lost  in  the  sun's  light;  but  their  night-, 
ly  quota  of  light  is  added  in  the  day  to  the  light  of  the  sun.  So  is  the 
amount  of  heat  they  give  off  in  the  night  in  the  same  ratio  given  off 
in  the  dav,  blended  with  the  heat  of  the  sun.     It  may  be  that  they 


2U. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


assist  the  sun  more,  farther  from  the  tropics  in  v.-armin,i,'  <]^t' f\^/^' 
than  at  them;  or,  at  least,  would  he  nioi*e  appreciated.  And  the 
moon,  when  she  appears  to  turn  her  back  on  us,  like  a  real  queen, 
her  face  is  on  her  other  possessions.  So  the  sun,  moon  and  stars 
are  always  on  duty  for  u^,  servin-  mankind  the  whole  earth  f^'^^^f- 
They  haye  never  yet  been  relieyed  by  a  fresh  set.  Let  us  be  thankful 
for  them.  Not  like  the  heathen,  thow^di— woi-ship  them  instead  of 
the  Creator  Himself,  who  made  them  and  their  ordinances  for  our 
happiness.     Jer.  Jil  :'}."). 

Some  mi^dit  think  there  would  be  li.sfht  whether  there  is  heat  or 
not :  but  we  see  that  the  heat  we  haye  from  the  sun  comes  alonj^- with 
his  iiffht.  And  the  more  powerful  the  li^dit,  the  .j.'reater  is  also  the 
heat.  In  the  distant  recjions  of  the  north,  where  the  heat  is  less,  the 
li^ht  is  less  too.  Hence  tlie  sobriquet,  "Sunny  South."  In  all  warm 
countries  the  li^ht  is  clearer  than  in  cold  ones.  So  in  that  first*  sys- 
tem of  lijrht  there  must  haye  been  warmth  alonj?  with  it  everywhere 
the  lijrht  went. 

Whether  the  planets  have  any  bodies  of  water  on  them  or  not,  they 
must  have  that  on  the  most  of  them  that  is  close  akin  to  water.  They 
could  not  have  atmosphera<  without  moisture  sufficient  to  support 
them.  The  moons  of  those  that  have  them,  and  the  rino:s  of  Saturn, 
are  supposed  to  supply  them  with  both  li^ht  and  heat,  more  than  they 
othersvise  would  have.  So,  on  the  same  jirinciple,  all  the  starry  host, 
as  well  as  moon  and  sun,  help  the  earth  in  light  and  heat,  and  in  all 
of  happy  nature's  work  done  on  her. 

If  the  fixed  stars  were  not  created  in  that  beji^inninj^  mentioned  in 
the  book  of  (Jenesis,  then  we  have  no  account  of  their  creation  ;  for 
outside  of  the  Bible  we  have  no  knowledge  of  Creation,  nor  can  we. 
And  even  with  the  Bible,  its  vastness  overwhelms  our  mightiest 
thought. 

If  there  are  other  solar  systems  in  this  great  universe — which  no 
man  knows — having  the  knowledge  that  we  have  of  ours,  we  can 
form  some  idea  of  them  by  analogy.  For  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose 
that  they  would  have  the  same  general  characteristics  as  ours. 

Whether  the  days  in  Creation  were  the  natural  days  of  the  earth, 
or  long  periods  of  time,  there  could  have  been  no  glacial  period  until 
considerable  time  after  the  fourth  day.  Under  the  first  system  for 
light,  be  that  system  whatever  it  was,  no  ice  could  form  on  land  or 
water,  anywhere  on  earth,  for  her  temperature  would  be  equal  all 
over  her  surface.  But  when  the  sun  was  made  self-luminous  and  the 
solar  system  had  to  depend  upon  Him  for  light  and  the  earth V  sur- 
face for  heat,  a  new  order  of  things  set  in.  And  as  a  nuitter  of  course, 
it  would  take  a  number  of  years,  perhaps,  for  the  zones  of  earth  to 
become  fixed.  And  of  course  the  glacial  period  would  be  obliged  to  be 
a  long  ways  future  of  that  event ;  for  take  the  progress  of  polar  con- 
ditions within  the  history  of  man's  knowledge  of  them,  and  analogy 
will  show  that  a  glacial  period  (!ould  not  have  been  anywhed'e  near  the 
temperate  zones  for  a  long  course  of  time  after  the  fourth  day  of 
Creation.  It  could  not  be  before  the  zones  of  earth  })ecame  estab- 
lished, and  that  was  future  from  the  fourth  day  of  Creation.  If  the 
Lord  permits,  I  will  show  farther  on  when  I  think  that  period  was. 


I  w\ 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION 


21. 


V. 


The  light  being  centered  in.  or  around,  the  sun,  chilliness  began  to 
seize  upon  the  poles  of  the  earth,  and  increased  more  and  more,  until 
they  were  held  in  cold's  icy  grip.  And  heat  accumulated  all  around 
the  (centre  of  the  earth  and  radiated  more  and  more  toward  the  poles, 
until  repelled  by  the  Arctic  cold.  Thus  the  zones  of  earth  were 
fornuHl  and  settled.  There  was  no  such  thing  as  a  zone  ])efore  this. 
Fa\\u\\  light  and  equal  heat  prevailed  everywhere,  all  aroutul  the  earth 
and  all  over  her  surface.  The  temperature  l)eing  equal  everywhere, 
all  parts  were  equally  comfortable.  Day  and  night  were  of  equal 
length  all  over  the  earth  and  divided  one  from  the  other  by  other 
means  than  the  sun  by  day  and  the  shadow  of  the  earth  by  night. 

How  long  this  conflict  between  the  equatorial  heat  and  the  polar 
cold  went  on  before  the  limits  of  the  zones  were  established  we  have 
no  record  in  Revelation,  nor  other  data  on  the  subject.  Of  course  the 
approach  of  each  towards  the  other  would  be  gradual.  And  each,  so 
to  speak,  finding  a  natural  barrier  to  its  progress,  would  apparently 
become  content  and  settle  down  upon  its  own  rights. 

It  is  pro])able  that  more  of  the  earth's  surface  is  under  temperate 
conditions  than  formerly.  And  it  is  prol)able  that  the  temperate  zones 
will  yet  gain  more  against  the  frigid  than  otherwise. 

On  the  fourth  day  of  Creation  the  laws  of  the  zones  were  planted  in 
the  natural  world,  and  have  since  been  working  out  their  legitimate 
results,  though  not  without  the  guiding  hand  of  His  providence,  as 
in  all  things  else.  Ever  since  that  day,  sun,  moon  and  stars  have 
been  '^for  signs,  and  for  seasons,  and  for  days,  and  for  years."  With 
the  earth  they  mark  the  days  and  the  years  with  a  precision  that  no 
man  can  equal,  bringing  spring,  summer,  autumn  and  winter,  in 
their  seasons. 

How  much  they  have  to  do  with  the  condition  of  our  weather  in  all 
seasons  we  cannot  tell;  but  very  much,  no  doubt.  The  premonitory 
signs  they  give,  are  worthy  of  our  study  and  of  our  observation. 

It  was  so  arranged  by  the  Creator  that  the  passing  of  the  sun's  rays 
through  our  atmosphere  and  their  refraction  upon  the  earth  should 
produce  heat  on  her  surface  and  a  gentle  warmth  below  her  surface 
sufficient  for  all  her  productions.  So  the  sun's  light  and  his  heat  are 
necessary  to  fructify  the  earth,  as  well  as  for  our  personal  comfort. 
And  it  is  the  effect  of  his  light  that  paints  the  flowers,  insects,  birds 
and  other  animals,  in  their  various  hues  and  colors,  and  even  man- 
kind in  their  different  shades  of  complexion. 

This  was  His  permanent  plan  for  the  light,  and  for  the  heat  in  their 
offices,  and  in  their  powers,  and  in  their  uses  in  the  natural  world. 
"And  it  \yas  so."  Unalterably  fixed,  all.  "And  God  saw  that  it  was 
good."  The^vholeand  every  part  drew  forth  the  happy  expression 
of  Divine  approval.     "And  the  evening  and  the  morning  were  the 

fourth  day."  r       \       i-  4.     ^ 

This  day's  work  was  very  far  off  from  the  earth.  In  the  distant 
and  far  away  regions  of  space.  But  all  around  the  earth  alike,  and 
for  the  mutual  good  of  the  whole  system  of  things  connected  with  her. 
It  added  great  beauty  and  grandeur  to  our  solar  system,  affords 
much  pleasure  to  mankind,  and  is  calculated  to  inspire  them  with  a  very 
hit^h  sense  of  reverence  for  the  Creator.  In  grandeur,  sublimity,  fine- 


9"} 


THE  STORY  OF  OREATIOX. 


ness  and  superiority  of  work   it  was  overwhelmin^Jy  a  j^reat    day's 
work,  every  way  worthy  of  tJio  Supreme  Bein<<. 

Li^lit  Is  one  of  t  he  finest  and  most  complex  subjects  in  all  nature,  and 
to  make  the  inlinitely  wise  distribution  of  it,  as  He  did  on  this  day, 
exceeds  all  our  thou.irht,  and  tills  us  with  praise  to  that  perfect  wis- 
dom that  held  His  permanent  plan  for  it  in  reserve  until  this  supreme 
moment  and  then  so  splendidly  executed  it  in  its  wonderful  perfection. 
What  nicety  and  painstaking-  of  skill  and  delicate  adjustment  of  all 
the  particulars  in  reo:ard  to  the  suns  nature,  laws  and  offices!  And 
of  all  the  <rnind  orbs  connected  with  him  to  produce  such  admirable 
results  as  have  followed  from  that  day  to  this  no  living- man  can  tell  ' 
It  was  a  ^reat  <lay*s  work!  Kut  don't  let  us  think  that  Almi<dity 
power  and  infinite  wisdom  needed  any  more  time  for  its  perfect 
accomplishment  than  His  own  statement  allows  Him. 

Astronomy  teaches  that  the  nearest  fixed  star  is  so  remote  from  us  if 
we  span  the  whole  space  of  the  ecdiptic,  one  hundred  and  ninety  mil- 
lions of  niiles,  to  view  it,  it  appears  no  nearer  nor  larger  than  'if  we 
HnZZ  1^^%^'Pr-^'^^  ^^^i^  ^^  ^'^^^  ^^^rth's  orbit.  So  this  day's  work  is 
vln.?«n  ^v^^  ^iippose  that  it  was  in  pro-ress  full  a  thousand 

mg  than  to  suppose  it  was  only  from  one  sunset  to  the  next 

^yal^I^Hnvfl!!!'''"^^"';^V'''''^^  ^^^"^•"'^^'  ^^"^^  without  a  miracle 
^^as  not  anythniir  inade  that  was  made. 

J),  «.dorions  fourth  day, 

That  saw  the  Fniversal  lii^ht. 

Desert,  like  a  risint?  fawnf 

Her  former  places  of  abode, 

As  in  ^rreat  waving  sheets,  ' 

Broader,  by  far,  than  any'hemisphere 

Kolhng  tlirou-h  space,  as  on  rapid  wing, 

encircling  the  sun  seven  fold' 

Bounding  thence  encircled  the  moon  and  every  star- 

^or  did  a  comet  nor  asteroid  fail  of  its  share '' 

And  thou  wert  the  first  to  see  the  king  of  day 

Arching  the  skies  on  his  shining  way 

And  when  beyond  the  circle  of  thy  li^ht 

lo  feast  thine  eyes  on  the  beauty  bright, 

Of  that  radiant  retinue  of  the  niHit 

\\  Inch  followed  as  his  brilliant  train  ' 

And,  too,  thou  wast  the  first  to  see 

The  whole  span  of  heayen  bestud     ' 

As  with  countless,  sparkling  gems. 

Her  author—thy  Creator  didst  it 

O,  fourth  of  days,  happy  wast  thou. 

And  happy  wast  thy  work 

The  crowning  of  all  nature  inanimate  ' 

Tru  y  henceforth  they  who  know  t hee'best 

Shall  call  thee  blest  ;  "f.i, 


'.>» 


( 


\ 

'/ 


THE  STOKY  OF  OREATIOX. 

For  from  thy  work  have  we  tlie  lasting  order, 

Of  the  day  and  of  the  night;  and  the  zones  of  earth, 

With  all  their  beauties  and  their  sweets. 

As  after  hardest  toil  comes  sweetest  rest , 

So  from  thee  we  have  the  beauteous  snow, 

Winter's  frost  and  pretty  ice, 

Spring's  bloom  and  fragrance. 

Summer's  perfect  ])eauty. 

And  autumn's  sumptuous  good. 


(^,  HA  ITER  V. 

FIFTH  DAY'S  WORK. 

\Ve  have  seen  that  the  S])irit  of  (rod  inovtHl  upon  the  waters  on  the 
first  day ;  and  now  He  makes  a  second  movement  upon  them  to  bring 
them  into  a  generative  state  for  the  purpose  of  Creation,  and  to  be 
able  to  ever  after  sustain  that  life  He  intended  to  put  into  the  waters. 
The  life  that  is  in  all  waters,  both  salt  and  fresh. 

On  the  fourth  day  the  waters  were  relieved  of  that  exceeding  brill- 
iancy which  He  gave  them  on  the  first  day,  by  moving  the  centre  of 
light  to  the  sun — making  him  self  luminous,  and  the  source  of  light 
to  all  the  rest  of  nature  connected  with  him. 

As  yet  the  waters  were  not  at  all  suited   to  any    form  of  life — not 

'  even  were  they  suitable  for  vegetable  life.    They  were  too  pure  for  it. 

It  has  been  said  of   late   that   entirely    pure  water  is  not   suited   for 

human  life.     Since  the  fifth  day  of  Creation  the  natural  waters  have 

not  been  entirely  pure. 

Up  to  the  fifth  day  the  Creator  supplied  tlie  vegetation  of  the  earth 
with  moisture  by  mists,  a  part  of  His  temporary  arrangement.  Nor 
as  yet  had  there  been  any  rain.  Oen.  2  :5-6.  There  was  no  rain  until 
after  the  sun  w\as  made  the  source  of  light  and  of  heat.  No  doubt  as 
we  say,  when  the  sun  rose  on  the  morning  of  the  fourth  day,  he  sent 
before  him  chariots  of  rolling  vapors,  w^hich  made  all  nature  greet  him 
in  his  new  official  relations  to  her  with  thankfulness;  and  with  one 
consent  all  of  her  children  crowned  him  king  of  the  day. 

In  the  cast  of  the  earth  it  was  about  the  beginning  of  the  morning 
wiien  his  great  Master  got  him  in  readiness  to  comt^  forth,  for  the  first 
time,  "as  a  bridegroom  out  of  his  chamber,"  Ps.  r.);4-(),  groomed  to 
escort  the  queen  of  the  night  in  their  celestial  journeys;  with 
knighted  retinue  attending— in  their  first  and  lasting  tours— describ- 
ing the  circle  of  the  skies. 

It  seems  that  the  waters  underwent  a  change  on  the  first  day  for 
the  emission  of  light,  and  on  the  fifth  to  that  permanent  condition  it 
has  since  had.  Now^  these  were  very  great  acts;  but  He  who  created 
on  the  beginning  of  the  first  day  all  the  water,  with  all  other  elements 
thq,t  belong  to  matter,  except  light— as  is  there  mentioned— could  do 
it  just  as  easy  as  He  created  it  at  first.  And  it  is  agreeable  to  the 
successive  steps  He  took  in  the  work  of  all  Creation.  It  seems  that 
the  water  radiated  light  for  all  earthly  purposes  until  the  fourth  day. 
St.  John  speaks  of  a  sea  of  glass.  Rev.  J5:2.    That  refers  to  its  brill- 


24. 


THE  STORY  OF  ORKATTON. 


>.,.,.     „.  .hat  .a,e  the  wat..  ■'- ^^^ of  ^^H^ '^^^^  - 
ties    Rev.  22:1.     Here  he  says:         I  he  N\aTer 


dear  as  crystal.''  ;f  iminortal    could  not  live  on  such 

Mortals,  nor  n.aterh.l  creatures,  '«";'"";'  ,',^,5,  ufe,  then  it  refers 

pure  water.     If  it  jneans  f-'™;-,^:,;','4».,;'   X         hat  are  found  in  real 
To  its  ahsolute  purity  froni  all  thosej.vr  a  c  ^^^.        „„,j. 

water  to  adapt  it  to  our  present  ^^^'^ '' ,  '"i^^'J^edness. 
figuratively  calle,l  water.  nuMunn-  ^P  "*';',  VhV.vaters-upon  all 
^The  Spirit  nu.st  '-";"'-  ,^;';'^^^.„"j:ie',rt:  necessary  \o  sup^ 
bodies  of  water;  forn.e<  '".♦''"",  \"'',,,o.c  that  should  live  in 
port  both  vegetable  an.l  an.mal  lif  ,  /^^ ;  '  ,.,  .,,  ,„  ^  their 
water  and  those  that  should   live  on  land— aU.pruv 

purposes.  ,.,     ^,,ut.iiiiin"  nronerty  in  any 

For  up  to  this  time  there  was  ""  '^,," '^*''^;;'";,r'^e(l  by 'the  earth 
water.  The  plant  life  on  he  ''^Ij-y ''''  '  ^Vnhore ''' n  the.^  had  been 
and  the  mists  sent  them  through  the  '  "^"r'  ""^.j  \,,„,  „.oul.l  not 
a  living  creature  on  the  earth  before  tie  hf  h  da>^    t  e 

^lV",:^l;r^W^:  or;=  ;^^i;;^r^- "wHleh  il\.ature. 

eall  for  water.  ^      •  i    ^^r,   in  IipII   wanted   it;  or  that 

The  soul  of  t'-^t-^'-^'^-;:    Vrin    coud^^Z^^^^^^^  There 

which  7"f;;Pjf.l^;  h^;twch  an  w;  s   o  it-where  La/.arus  was 

Lazarus  to   bnnt?    nun    an>  ,   ntuun  rp,  .  .    '  ^  the  fir<t    nraver 

^:rv:  :^l'z^^':^^  r^:*,  ]^tr  ::;:n^;er  •.  an.. 

meofthn'n"  "atur";^  '"  ••"'-''"  ^l-  waters 

bitore  1  e  bro  jTht  then,  forth.     And  he  provided  for  the  need  of  every 
thin^  on  lan.1,  i.nd  for  every  tbin,  in  the  air,  in  ''- P--'''";,^^™  ;,", 
everyone  for  them,   before  they  came.     By  tbe  hfth  <  «>  /'^f  f«" 
wasreadv  for  the  livinj:  creatures,  when  Ood  caused  tbe  birds  to  begin 
to  fiv  over  it  and  to  rest  foot  upon  it ;  and  not  before. 

By    he  a^encv  of  the  Spirit  o!  (iod,  for  the  time  being    the  waters 
were  civen-enerative  powers  to  answer  tbe  purposes  of  Creation 
^ThoxTsend^tb  forthThySpirit,  they  are  created."  Ps.  1(.4:«..  Much 

of  it  i»  here  ascribed  to  the  Spirit.  -,        .     ^,  4^ 

It  this  supreme  moment  the  Son  of  God  -ave  orders  to  the  waters 
to^bring  forth  that   life  which,  in  tliem  was— and  was  now  ready  for 
deliverance-in  livinc,,  orj^ani/ed  beinj?.  Gen.  1 :2().     ^  ou  may  think 
we  strain  the  text,  nevertheless,  it   teaches  that  water  was  the  ele- 
ment out  of  which  these  were  created.  u    *    n       f '  . 
Thev  came  fortli  as  if  ushering  out  of  the  <?reat  womb  of  all  waters. 
It  was  a  ^'rand  scene !     Greater  than  Daniel's  natural  scenes  upon  the 
Hiddel^er  or  St.  .lohn's  upon  the  Mediteranean.     To  see  them  in  the 
water    wi^'crlint^,  swimminor,   sporting  too,   on   the   surface,   and  the 


( 


\ 


THE  STORY  OF  (CREATION 


25. 


f 


i 


^ 


pretty  tish  tryin<;  tlieir  newly  found  powers  in  the  water  I  ft  waj» 
truly  interestinij:. 

For  the  v;aters  tlien  brouj<ht  forlli  the  movinj,;  creatures  that  crawl 
upon  the  bottom  of  the  deep,  whicli  cannot  swim,  but  must  live  in, 
or  about  the  water.  Water  insects  and  creatures  of  lower  order  than 
lish,  of  trreat  beauty,  and  in  j^reat  variety;  and  fish  of  many  colors, 
and  of  tjjreat  beauty — of  countless  form  and  variety  ; J Aniathan,  Behe- 
moth and  all  the  monsters  of  the  deep.  The  jjreat  ones  of  old — the 
giants  of  the  sea.  Science  does  not  find  them  ;  neither  does  she  find 
jjjiants  among  men  now.  It  seems  that  the  Lord  j^ot  tired  of  them 
both  in  the  old  world  and  left  them  behind  in  the  time  of  the  flood. 
Neither  did  He  save  a  giant  man  nor  nuistodon  beast.  It  is  true, 
however,  that  after  this  we  read  of  some  giants  in  ("anaan,  on  a 
smaller  scale  than  those  of  old  ;  but  they  had  to  j^ive  place  to  a  better 
race. 

The  command  to  the  waters  to  brin*^  forth  the  liviji*::  creature  was 
not  only  so  broad  as  to  embrace  all  bodies  of  water  on  the  earth,  but 
in  all  other  spheres  also.  If  there  are  any  living  creatures  in  the 
waters  of  other  globes  I  would  suppose  that  they  were  created  in  obe- 
dience to  this  command.  If  it  is  for  the  glory  of  the  Creator  for  all 
those  w^e  see  no  other  use  for,  to  be  in  our  waters,  it  would  be  so 
there.  And  if  it  were  but  a  natural  consequence,  then  their  w'aters 
would  be  occupied  as  are  ours,  if  the  conditions  are  the  same.  But 
the  command  to  the  earth  to  bring  forth  "the  living  creature"  was 
specific  to  the  earth.  The  sun,  nor  moon,  nor  stars,  are  mentioned 
or  implied,  in  it,  and  the  creation  of  man  was  a  local  matter,  limited 
to  a  single  spot  of  earth.     It  was  sui  generis. 

More  wonderful,  the  Lord  gave  the  waters  power  to  generate  winged 
creatures — flying  fowds — sea  birds — of  many  varieties,  swans,  cranes, 
ducks,  wild  geese,  all  of  which  live  in  or  about  the  water.  I 
reckon  there  was  a  greater  cackling  then  than  was  ever  heard  on  a 
Florida  lake. 

And  more  wonderful  still.  He  gave  the  water  not  only  power  to 
bring  forth  such  as  inhabit  the  waters,  but  also  those  that  occupy  the 
dry  land,  and  tly  over  the  earth.  Then  out  of  the  water  the  Lord 
created  every  land  bird  after  his  kind,  with  almost  infinite  variety  of 
sizes,  forms,  hues,  colors,  and  of  exquisite  beauty,  from  the  eagle  to 
the  humming  bird. 

Oh,  it  was  a  lovely  scene !  It  would  have  made  every  fiber  in  your 
mental  nature  vibrate  with  happy  emotion  to  look  upon  it.  In  their 
first  taste  of  life — and  they  all  at*  once  adult— gave  them  a  fullness  of 
pleasure  not  experienced  by  any  of  their  kind  since.  Xo  merry  birds, 
therefore,  can  be  so  joyous  now. 

Then  were  brought  forth  also  those  of  gentler  natures,  chickens, 
guineas,  turkeys,  peafowls,  domestic  ducks  and  geese,  with  all  the 
varieties  of  each.  However,  He  does  not  inform  us  whether  their 
almost  endless  variety,  on  land  and  on  sea,  were  created  then,  or  only 
their  species,  or,  even  only  their  genera  were  then  made. 

Some  may  think  the  birds,  especially  those  that  live  on  land,  were 
not  created  in  that  way.  But  it  is  a  singular  fact  that  they  are  in- 
cluded in  the  fifth  day's  work,  rather   than  after  the  inferior  crea- 


1>G. 


THE  STOKV  OF  (JHKATK)X 


tures  made  on  the  sixth  day.  The  Psalmist  says  -rhoutaketh  avNav 
their  breath,  they  die,  and  return  to  their  dust,"  104:29  Althou^di 
they  were  created  out  of  tlie  water,  they  are  indebted  to  the  earth  for 
those  bodies  they  have  since  had,  and  return  after  death  to  the  bulk 

of  earthly  matter.  ^  ,,  t.  •       i-      ^i    4^ 

"Thou  sendeth  forth  Thy  Spirit,  they  are  created."  It  implies  that 
in  the  sense  of  reproduction  Creation  is  goinj^  on  ever,  but  He  does 
not  say  these  are  hi^dier  than  those.  And  it  a«,'rees  with  another 
Scripture  which  says:  ^'For  They  are  and  were  created,"  Kev.  4:11. 
It  is  in  this  secondary  sense  that  we  all  are  His  creatures.  He  does 
not  inform  us  wliethcr  He  has  made  any  new  species  since,  or  not. 
He  certainly  had  the  ri<,dit  to  do  so  if  He  wished,  or  saw  fit.  ''W  e 
dare  not  limit  Him,"  Ps.  78:4. 

If  He  has  made  any  new  species  or  genus,  it  must  have  been  out  of 
the  ori;,'inals:  for  they  must  have  been  embraced  in  the  expression, 
"all  thlnt^s,"  Ex.  20:11,  Ps.  104:80,  may  mean,  as  we  see,  that  one 
generation  passes  away  and  is  succeeded  by  another  of  the  same 
kind.  Eel.  1:4,  For  every  generation  is  His  creation.  So  in  that 
sense  His  creation,  or  His  making,  at  least,  is  always  going  on.  He 
is  the  (Veator,  or,  at  least,  the  maker  of   the   last,  as  well    as  of  the 

first. 

Joseph  Cook  says,  "(lod  sends  first  the  human  soul  into  this  world 
iind  it  weaves  its  own  body."  Of  course  that  body  is  builded  out  of 
all  the  elements  of  earth ;  nor  is  that  work  carried  on  without  the 
guiding  hand  of  His  Providence,  which  fashioneth  all.  So  He  is  the 
Father  of  our  spirits  and  the  maker  of  our  frames.  For  His  offspring 
we  are.  Acts  17  :28. 

"And  God  created  great  whales,  and  every  living  creature  that 
moveth,  which  the  waters  brought  forth  abundantly  after  their  kind, 
and  every  winged  fowl  after  his  kind."  I  understand  that  they  were 
as  if  grown  to  maturity.  When  man,  or  any  animal,  is  now  brought 
into  this  world  they  come  prepared  to  fill  their  place  in  this  world, 
takinj;  their  train  of  conditionss  as  thev  come.  So  these  came  into  this 
world  in  an  adult  state,  or  else  soon  came  to  it  miraculousl}',  for  they 
were  to  be  a  generation  of  parents — were  created  capable  of  parent- 
age; the  language  implies  it. 

"And  God  saw  that  it  was  good."  Good!  Good!  Well  done! 
"And  God  blessed  them,  saying,  be  fruitful  and  multiply,  and  fill  the 
waters  in  the  sea ;  and  let  fowl  multiply  in  the  earth."  And  His 
blessing  has  gone  with  them  ever  since — His  care  has  ever  been  over 
them — His  hand  ever  open  to  supply  their  needs,  Ps.  104:27-28.  "The 
Lord  is  good  to  all,  and  His  tender  mercies  are  over  all  His  works," 
Ps.  145:9. 

How  strange  it  is  that  such  a  host,  of  almost  innumerable  beings 
have  commingled  together  so  long,  and  each  genus  and  each  species 
preserved  in  its  own  individuality.  Naught  but  infinite  wisdom  and 
Almighty  power  could  have  done  it.  And  that  too,  while  dwelling 
together  in  the  same  waters,  or  in  the  same  jungles,  and  in 
the  same  fields.  He  has  prevented  any  natural  crossing  of  genera  or 
of  species!  Instinct  must  have  been,  and  still  is,  controlled  in  this 
respect,  at  least,  by  Providence.     Men  have  sometimes  had  them  to 


/ 


\ 


^1^ 


I    1^ 


THK  STORY  OK  CHKATJOX 


27 


cross;  but  of  their  own  natur(\  never.  Man  may  (level op- variety 
in  species,  but  it  is  hard  to  change  the  species.  It  has  not  been 
known  to  be  done  permanently.  It  is  said  that  when  man  ceases  to 
interfere  with  them  they  invariably  go  back  to  their  own  species. 

In  spite  of  all  man^s  catching  and  destroying,  they  have  gone  forth 
unto  this  day  lining  their  Divine  commission.  And  their  tilling  the 
waters,  and  spreading  over  the  land,  as  they  have  done  and  consum- 
ing noxious,  decaying  matter,  converting  it  into  healthy  life,  is  of 
imspeakable  advantage  to  us,  if  we  never  eat  a  fish  or  bird. 

And  how  recreative^  to  tired  human  nature  to  interest  itself  in  the 
pretty,  sportive,  happy  fish.  And  when  de])ressed  with  lifes  misfor- 
tunes, to  hear  the  bold  strokes  of  the  brave  liirds  in  their  ciieerful 
songs.  Especially  in  the  spring  time,  how  inspiring  it  is  to  the  youth- 
ful spirit  to  hear  the  sweet  songs  of  the  happy  birds!  It  never  fails 
to  promote  love  in  the  human  heart.  Canticles  2  :12.  The  wisest  of 
men  here  tacitly  admit  it . 

The  fish  and  the  birds  render  us  good  service,  and  we  would  do  well 
to  appreciate  them.  They  were  made  in  part  for  our  pleasure,  for  us 
to  behold  the  beauty  alike  of  both,  and  to  listen  to  the  singing  of  the 
birds.  If  rightly  considered,  they  will  enhance  our  thankfulness 
to  the  Giver  of  all ;  and  therein  they,  in  part  at  least,  fulfill  their 
Maker\s  will. 

"And  the  evening  and  the  morning  were  tlie  fifth  day."  This  day's 
work  seems  to  be  more  closely  related  to  the  coming  heir — man — for 
whom  the  great  Parent  was  preparing. 

If  we  consider  the  almost  endless  variety  of  living  creatures,  both 
small  and  great,  in  all  w^aters  and  in  all  lands — of  birds  domestic  and 
birds  non  domestic — birds  that  swim  and  birds  that  don't  swim  ;  birds 
that  hop  and  birds  that  walk ;  birds  that  fly  and  birds  that  don't  fly; 
birds  that  scratch  and  birds  that  peck  ;  birds  that  .sing  and  birds  that 
don't  sing;  birds  that  are  pretty  and  birds  that  are  ugly;  birds  that 
are  good  and  birds  that  are  bad ;  and  last  of  all,  birds  of  good  luck 
and  birds  of  bad  luck,  with  all  the  beauties  and  all  the  powers  of 
each  ;  then  we  will  think  it  was  a  w^onderful  day's  work  !  Worthy  of 
the  Almighty ! 

Then  let  us  think  again  this  great  host  of  life  had  to  be  fed  !  But 
their  infinite  Creator  had  an  exhaustless  storehouse  tilled  for  them. 
He  had  an  eye  to  this  on  the  third  day  under  His  temporary  systeni 
and  how  much  the  sunshine  on  the  remainder  of  the  fourth  after  His 
installation  may  have  helped,  and  on  that  part  of  the  fifth  up  to  this 
time,  in  m^e  ripening  the  grain  and  fruit  we  can  only  conjecture. 

But  this  is  true  when  the  animals  were  produced  in  the  water  and 
the  birds  in  water  and  on  land  on  the  flfth  day,  there  was  enough  of 
it  that  was  matured  for  all  their  needs.  And  for  man  on  the  sixt,h 
day.  We  have  no  ripe  seed  for  reproduction  without  rii)e  fruit.  So 
some  of  it  must  have  been  ripe  on  the  third  day;  as  the  Lord  said 
whose  seed  is  in  itself,  which  could  not  be  until  the  fruit  was  ripe. 
If  not,  it  was  ready  early  enough  on  the  fifth  day.  (Jen.  2:5,  shows 
that  every  vegetable,  every  kind  of  plant  and  every  kind  of  grain,  all 
of  that  vast  kingdom,  came  forth  without  planting  seed,  or  trans- 
planting of  seedling,  slips  or  scions  from  elsewhere.     And  that  it  was 


28. 


THE  STORY  OF  (3RKAT10X. 


done  befor.  .nan    was. reat.l.     fnd  Gen  ^1  29-M^^^ 

ready  or.  the  sixth  day  for  ma..,  ^^^^f^^^^'    ^^^ttJ^^rd. 

^^;:'z;v:i'^'r::^  -r-^i^h  :^     ^onunued  au  th. 
:i;^  tL:;;:!T.rt^::;:;;e;:^a  n^  ^  :^^V- ---r;  - -^:r^ 

"^t::';;"  a::;''ae;;^rious  eireK  t.  then,  or   others,  He  made  the 
,rJ.;;^";^'>?  all  rhe  water  of   all  the  earth  to  beeomepe^^^ 
Saltv.  That  itself  was  u  s^eat  act  of  creation.  .^^aU  f  e^    is  u>m^^^^^^^ 
to  a  savor  of  life.    It  was  hi^^hly  necessary  to  do  this.   ^^^^J    '  "^ '^^^^ 
with  anv  claim  to  consistency  can  say  all  these  things  onl>  happened 

'^'K^kt^V^'-^r  speaks  of  the  water  from  the  river  flowin,  into  the 
sea  and  of  the  waters  bein,  healed  by  the  mixin,  o  he  fresh  and 
^alt  waters  to-ether.  And  of  the  tish  being  benehted  thereby.  Ihe 
rher  and  all  The  streams  which  flow  into  it  from  all  adjacent  lands 
must  c^  rv  much  food  to  the  tish.  And  more  so  in  times  when  they 
are  swelled  bv  rains  and  overflow  from  any  cause  From  gra«s  ^  ^ 
plants,  and  tn^es,  and  grain,  growing  where  it  ^^ouM  be  carried  off ^^^^^ 
the  waters,  the  creatures  in  the  waters  below  would  be  fed  by  them 
with  grain  and  the  seeds  of  that  growth ;  and  this  is  one  of  the  valves 
that  opens  the  store  of  providence  to  those  in  the  sea.  Ps.  104  :i/-^8. 
-These  wait  all  upon  Thee;  that  thou  mayest  give  them  their  meat 
in  due  season.  That  Thou  givest  them  they  gather;  Thou  openest 
Thine  hand,  they  ai:e  filled  with  good."  ,  .,  ,  1 1,. 

I  once  heard  of  an  old  planter,  when  he  saw  the  great,  mudd> 
river  spread  all  over  his  crops  on  his  fertile  bottoms,  that  cursed  the 
rain,  and  the  river,  and  Providence  too.  But  while  his  mouth  was 
opened  in  cursing,  many  below  were  opened  taking  in  food  now  sent 
to  them  Providence  often  draws  on  those  who  have  to  supply  the 
needs  of  those  who  have  not.  I  once  read  of  a  preacher  who  lost  four 
line  fat  hogs  bv  a  stroke  of  lightning;  but  it  didn't  make  him  curse 
though.  He  said  he  reckoned  the  Lord  knew  the  buzzards  w^ere  hun- 
grv  and  sent  them  some  food  in  that  way.  -,  .     i     4. 

One  fall  T  lost  two  fat  shoats— worth  six  dollars— I  regretted  it,  but 
when  I  saw  so  many  hungry  dogs  feasting  on  them  it  reminded  me  of 
the  preacher— and  I  thought  perhaps  the  Lord  drew  upon  me  to 
give  'em  a  good  bait. 

The  Lord  provides  for  all,  but  it  is  at  the  expense  of  others;  how- 
ever, I  never  fail  to  recover  my  losses  in  some  other  way.  And  often 
my  disappointments  have  proved  to  be  my  richest  blessings. 

Every  word  of  God  has  a  pertinent  meaning   to  men ;   if  they  will 

onlv  apply  themselves  to  find  out  its  meaning,  they  shall  so  discover. 

It  is  obvious  that   the  earthly  and   the  aerial   circulation    of   the 

w^ater  not  only  supplies  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  with  that  amount 

of  moisture  which  they  need,  but  is  also  a  constant  purification  of  the 


/ 


\ 


THE  STORY  OF  OREATION. 


1>9. 


•< 


'  » 


A 


V 


9 


waters  for  all  our  culinary  and  other  purp«>ses;  for  man,  beast,  fowl ; 
and  for  all  living  creatures.  This  is  just  as  necessary  as  are  the  cir- 
culating fluids  in  the  human  body.  If  any  organ  of  man's  body  fails 
to  receive  its  natural  amount  of  arterial  blood,  sent  fresh  from  the 
heart,  it  cannot  perform  its  functions.  Just  so,  if  any  part  of  the 
earth  could  be  shut  off  from  this  circulating  system  in  the  earth,  and 
in  the  atmosphere,  it  would  fail  in  filling  its  place  in  nature. 

To  provide  for  all  these  things — to  unalterably  fix  and  settle  all  these 
principles  beforehand — strikingly  sets  forth  the  wisdom  and  goodness 
of  the  Creator.  And  the  consideration  thereof  can  but  cause  a  very 
high  degree  of  admiration  and  gratitude  in  all  mankind. 

Blessed  fifth  day.  when  thou  cmncst  forth.     ( \^ 
Thou  wert  as  cheery  as  ever  was  «'X})ectant  bride. 
When  first  the  happy  day  was  set  I 
For  thou  wast  the  first  to  se«'  aninuite  life. 
And  that,  too,  to  spring  out  of  life  inanimate. 
As  out  of  the  womb  of  that  broad  expanse. 
In  thy  presence  there  issinul  forth 
Numerous  beings  into  sentient  life  I 
Out  of  the  waters  then  sawest  thou. 
The  living  creatures  come  forth. 
In  tlieir  most  perfect  and  l>eautiful  forms, 
Both  small  and  great,  adrip  with  shining  water! 
And  out  of  tliose  waters  now  filled  with 
Life  giving  and  life  sustaining  properties. 
Thou  didst  witness  the  coming  forth 
Of  winged  fowl,  playfully  shaking 
From  their  crests  the  dripping  water. 
And  saw"  the  briny  spray  dashed  forth 
In  the  sunlight  over  the  sparkling  deep. 
^  And  witnessed,  too,  many  a  fall 

Splash  back  into  the  water — 
'Till  eacdi,  by  instinct,  caught  the  living  art. 
In  troops  of  happ.v  new  life  thou  sawest  them, 
Sporting  in  the  placid  waters. 
All  mt^rry  with  cackling,  chattering  joy. 
Now  cutting  the  air  above  on  brave  wings. 
And  over  the  meadows  thou  didst  see  and   hear. 
The  singing,  warbling  host  of  pretty  birds. 
Thine  it  was  to  see  all  this  beauty  first  ! 
In  the  water  ami   in  the  air! 
And  wert  the  first  to  catch  the  sweet  notes 
Of  natal  music!      Truly,  thou  wert  blest! 


jjy  THK  STOKY  OF  CRKATION. 

(UIAPTKR  VI. 

SIXTH  DAY'S  WORK. 

,   .,.  •)-       "F„r  tlie  time  beiiiL'  the  Creator  gave  to  the  earth 
...IveH  in  their  allotled  order,,  of  *''''^t«";'''-  ,,^„,  ,„rth    after  their 

.^:-::T:;:'t,:!;:;::::'e^":\^"i' tS!::.  i^i.  >n  an  of  it.  per. 
^ti':;-  ;iir;a:,  ';;S'.y::  wm'::;' -^Let ...  «.rth  ^^^:^-^-%: 

1         -n      I    .         vii    flvit    wore  created    in  ine  »uiri  «-^x 
;:;:;lr'::;"ev:.r;heU.ss\'.'f  ,^n«rtrearthy.  ana  when  they  die  return 
to  their  (lust  a<rain.     '^*^-  ^^^-^  •-^-     ,      .^,^      ,    ^i.-..^!-     means    species, 
The  word  kind  in  -  -  t-t  a      ^^-f;,^j\;tuU  ^^V^y"^  l-s 

^;:::d:-;';::::a;:::i";nd\^:^fraft::rwa„.s,.i,n..^ 

!  fi.5,.L    ihf.ppwcn'    at  least  as  many  as  a    pan  oi    tacii   spt-^-i 

female  of  eaeh  Wind  :  ex-ept  of  e^an  beasts,  ^^^>^^\^  .^a J 
l:^:Xn'e;:::"d''''<;;:;I:^^w''y;;,v-j:.  for  n,an.  don,estie  and 
<qcrificial  needs,  as  circumstances  required. 

'n^creJ^b^  '^^^'^^'^^'^  the  common   p.nple. 

The  BiTriVwr  tten  in  a  stvle  suited  to  the   lar^n^st  possiWe  number 
io  as  t       <    tl    '  "e:^^        pos'sihle  amount  of    -cod    in  tije    word,    and 
th^f^r  an  time^o  come.     "The  sun  was  ri.en  upon  the  earth   when 

"^'Inv'rlf  "i'understand  that,  but  a  modern  reporter  might  ha.e 
said  -it  uas  six:ten  ]>y  eastern  time,"  and  there  would  be  some  who 
could  not  understand  from  that  what  time  of  day  it  was  when  the 
rZurclty  was  burnt.  From  the  Bible  all  can  -f^^^\^^  ^ 
before  sunrise  at  that  place  when  the  hre  began  and  that  t  ^a^  st 
H  burnin.^  after  sunrise ;  or  that  the  sun  rose  on  that  part  of  the  earth 
while  that  unfortunate  c<mntry  was  on  iire  from  heaven.  Among  tht 
common  people  we  often  hear  the  expression  "the  cow  kmd,  the 
horse  kind,"  and  so  on.     That  is,  species,  so  I  think,  it  means  in  the 

Bible  wherever  it  is  use<l.  ,  i,  i  4- 

In  the  account  in  the  text,  there  is  no  order  given,  as  fr(»m  lowest 
to  hi-hest  forms  of  animals:  but  in  both  verses  they  are  men  loned 
nromUcuonslv.  He  had  but  to  speak,  and  it  was  done;  or  will  it  to 
be,  ami  W  wai  sn.  It  was  all  mira<'ulous.  Every  creature  was  pro- 
duced instantaneously ;  ami  in  adult  form  ;  or  quiekly  grew  to  it  As 
in  the  ten  plagues  of  Egypt,  it  was  done  instantly,  and  in  an  instant 
broucrht  to  a  [)erfect  finish. 

Yet  in  statement  we  may  say  just  under  the  surface  of  the  ground 
were  formed  earth  worms,  crawling  bugs  and  all  such  things  as  live 
there       \bove  the  surface  were  made  insects,  a-<  ants,   and    all    those 


/h 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION 


i 


that  crawl  on  the  gnmnd ;  and  hopping  things;  as  grasshoppers, 
crickets,  and  some  others  too  familiar  to  name. 

The  girls  should  not  get  mad  with  the  crickets,  if  they  do  cut  holes 
in  their  garments,  because  they  have  a  right  to  be  in  this  world ;  the 
Creator  ordered  them  here.  In  the  air  were  gnats,  flies,  flying  bugs 
of  all  varieties;  moths  and  butterflies,  with  all  their  wonderful  varie- 
ties and  exquisite  beauty;  together  with  wasps,  hornets  and  yellow- 
jackets — whether  appreciated  or  not.  The  l)oys  ought  not  to  get  mad 
if  any  of  these  sting  them,  for  they  will  not  do  it-  if  they  will  let  them 
alone.  Just  so  with  the  bees;  they  are  authorized  to  protect  them- 
selves, and  to  defend  their  young  and  their  property. 

Then  came  forth  out  of  the  ground  those  that  creep  upon  the  earth, 
snails,  terrapins,  gophers,  and  those  others  wdiich  burrow  in  the 
ground;  as  moles,  ground-hogs,  ground-squirrels,  prairie  dogs— all 
that  creep  upon  the  earth  and  btirrow  in  the  ground.  Then  those  that 
leap;  as  the  kangaroos;  squirrels,  both  black  and  gray;  and  the 
hare — or  rabbit.  And  oh,  how  the  darkies  do  love  'em  I  And  'pos- 
sums, pretty  enough  and  fat  enough  to  make  any  negro's  mouth 
water!  It  paid  'em  well  to  come  to  America  to  get  "possum  and  rab- 
bit to  eat;   both  are  peculiar  to  this  country. 

Then  the  larger  animals;  as  deer,  buffalos.  bears,  lions,  tigers, 
wolves,  hyenas,  leopards,  giraffes,  elephants  and  others.  Then  the 
gentler  ones;  as  the  camel,  the  ass,  the  horse,  the  goat,  the  sheep, 
the  cow,  and  cats  and  dogs.  And  last  of  all,  the  poor,  unfortuns,te 
serpent^ — the  Judas  of  Creation. 

At  His  bidding  they  all  came  forth  out  of  the  earth  in  the  full  per- 
fection of  their  l)eing;  or  else  expaiide«i  into  fullness  of  life  immedi- 
ately. The  first  was  a  generation  of  j)arenls,  whose  seed  was  in  them- 
selves; matured  to  slock  the  world  with  their  kinds.  A  few  of  each 
kind  would  be  sufficient  for  this.  This  is  the  origin  of  species.  Great 
uniformity  has  been  observed  in  keeping  each  in  its  own  lines — sepa- 
rate from  all  others;  an  evidence  of  inflnile  wisdom  in  their  creation 
and  constant  preservation.  It  seems  that  it  would  take  a  constant 
exertion  of  universal  power  to  keep  them  distinct,  as  they  are  unto 
this  dav.  And  still  thev  have  had  freedom  to  ranice  together  all  the 
while  in  all  the  (Mirth. 

As  far  as  is  known  to  man,  no  genus  or  s])ecies  has  l)eeii  lost.  How- 
ever, some  writers  wish  to  say  some  have  been  lost.  They  may  be 
correct  ;  but  it  reminds  me  of  a  farmer  who  was  troubled  with  rats. 
Going  int(^  his  })arn  one  morning  he  only  saw  a  few,  and  congratulated 
himself  that  all  the  rest  had  become  ext if ict.  But  afterwards  found 
he  vras  mistaken.  So  may  these  writers  Im^  mistaken;  for  there  are 
forest  jungles  and  ocean  depths  that  the  eyes  of  science  have  not  yet 
penetrated;  and  especially  they  did  not  see  all  over  at  once.  So  there 
mav  be  some  thinii:s  in  the  world  which  thev  have  not  seen ;  and  when 
they  looked  some  may  have  been  alibi — elsewhere. 

How  happy  w^as  every  creature  in  its  new-born  existence  I  The 
chirping  grasshoppers  in  the  sunshine,  and  the  crickets  under  the 
rocks;  busy  bees,  butter  flies  and  humming  birds  sucking  the  nectar 
of  the  flow-ers.  The  sheep,  deer,  goats,  cows  and  horses  browsing 
upon  the  grass;   the  hogs  under  the  chestnut  and   hickory  nut  trees; 


i 


^^  THK  STORY  OF  OREATION. 

potat'^f^-.  every  o,,(.  a.  happy  a.  m>   net  coum  D^^^^^  i„„ 

^  The  birds  siii^int;  i»  the  trees.  «> ''  g;^^"  P!^  ,^  ^,i,,  ^^e  «oU  envy 

their  recently  ^iven  aerial  ""^^ '""^'^  ^f^fi  ^^tor  i      he  pond  crave 
the  .heep,  ,w>r  ^h;  -n    ',e  .oa^  nor^^^^^^^  ^,,  ^, 

t:- 65I5      111  ^^"icace  and  harmony  complete      Every  one  felt  an 

I  r  ot  perfect  free.lol;,  and  sense  of  ^-"-''""y^f  ^^Vscarin^   them   in 
There  «as  no  boy  throw m^-  rocks  at  t'"  ^  "Is,  ^'  »;«'     f         ^.^^se 

»">   ^^"^i  '""V'-T  Tbutfafo     no    w  thNlt^ndteW 
.•InisiM-  the  ostru-  .  or  I'"";!  » •      ",'; '„,.,„,-    Without  a  nsaster,  thev 
the  fish.     None  ot  tlu'.n  had  '\^"  -'*^,*^"* '"J  '  „i„velv  scene'    It  would 
had  the  world  to  then.selves.    Indeed   .t  "'^^  ;/'    «^>  f,«;^,  „    it  was 
have  thrilled  your  sou     ^  ^ave  seen  d         An     (-'^^^^^ 

,he  proceeditis  was  for-the  ■"'^'^'"g,"*    '^'\  ,~  =^f^^^^   ,i.e  acting 
«,..r!  it  seems,  paused  befon>  P-ceedinS.   Ihe  ^^^ ".;»;' ,.;,^,,,^   «,! 

nicat  n.'  with  us      Bein?  our  offspring,  bearing  our  image— aft«r  our 
nL^  "s   he  w      serve  our  purposes  better  than  on  any  other  plan. 
•'Nnr;i!:n:i'\e  aHog.^e^r  .^a 

I'rt r..;'^.":;  :r  r;:;  h^lnu^t  be"a    Utle  .ower  than^thf  ange. 

hHng  h^n  h^'th  together.  Let  him  be  intellectual,  "^ora^  and 
SD  rUual-in  our  in.age-nature  pure  and  good-after  our  likeness- 
tn  Ufe  upright  and  true.     :tet  him  be  a  trinity  in  unity,  -Spirit,  soul 

"'Thr£elt!on':^-tlVf  action   began.     The  earth  trembled   at  the 
louch  of  the  (U-eator.     She  yielded  every  property  of  her  so,  ,  and  of 
u"  da"  for  the  composition  of  man's  body.     She  gave  him  her  best 
That  virgin  soil  and  that   red  clay  in  His   hands  were  soon  vitalized 
inotlie  osseous  svstem  of  .  perfect  man,  with  all  of  h.s  appendages, 
covered  over  with  flesh  ;  finished  with  a  beautiful  exterior;  medullary 
matter,  blood  and  cellular  fluids  lield  in  reserve  for  t^he  momentum  o 
life      '•  \nd  (>od"—Klohini— 'breathed  into  his  nostrils  the  breath  ot 
lite"_lives— animal,  mental  and  spiritual  life— 'and  man  became  a 
livin"  sour —an  immortal  spirit— the  offspring  of  Klohini-lhe  triune 
Gotl."^  He  stood  upright:  walked  steady,  erect  :^  of  exquisite  symme- 
try of  perfect  heautv;  a  son  of  (lod.     Lukei(:!5S. 

How  delighted  was  Adam,  when  he  first  opened  his  eyes  upon  the 
beautiful  scene  all  around  and  above  him'.   Seeing  so  many  beautilul. 


i 


THE  STORY  OF  l^HEATIOX. 


»>o. 


happy  creatures,  hearing  so  many  sweet  sounds,  and  hislAste  regaled 
by  such  delicious  fruit  he  was  inexpressibly  happy.  Nature  did, 
through  providence,  her  best  for  him.  And  as  if  this  was  not  enough 
for  his  only  heir  on  earth,  the?  J.ord  must  plant  hini  ;i  garden — the 
garden  of  Eden — of  delights;  while  the  whole  earth,  as  yet,  was  an 
f^den.  But  if  he  was  to  be  a  king,  he. must  have  a  j)alace  as  well  as  a 
dominion,  (fen.  1  :2().  Truly,  no  king  since  has  had  so  happy  a  palace; 
never  lived  in  the  midst  of  so  much  beauty;  never  had  so  much  peace 
in  his  capitol,  nor  so  muv'h  plenty ;  nor  such  feelings  of  safety  and 
contentment.  No  king  ever  had  such  a  peaceful  popnhice  or  such  sub- 
missive subjects.  The  garden  was  the  gem  of  all  Eden;  the  home  of 
the  first  king  on  earth,  and  the  cradle  of  the  hunum  race. 

It  was  located  eastward  in  Eden,  Gen.  2:8.  Out  of  the  rich  virgin 
soil  of  this  garden  the  Lord  made  every  tree  of  l)eauty  and  of  sweet- 
ness to  grow;  and  all  that  would  contribute  in  any  way  to  man's  hap- 
pines;  with  the  tree  of  life  in  its  midst,  and  also  the  tree  of  the 
knowledge  of  good  and  evil.  He  also  ornamented  and  refreshed  it 
with  springs  and  streams  <jf  water,  and  gathered  into  it  all  the  beau- 
ties and  all  the  sweets  of  every  zone  of  earth. 

In  this  happy  situation  the  J^ord  ])laced  His  first  man.  Yet,  after 
all,  Adam  was  not  completely  happy  ;  nor  do  I  believe  any  man  can  be 
without  a  wife.     No  Adam  can  until  he  finds  his  Eve. 

The  next  thing  was  to  put  man  under  law.  (Jen.  2:1(>-17.  Now  some 
might  think  this  would  restrain  his  lia|)i)iiiess,  l)ut  notso;  man  is 
never  more  happy  than  when  un<ler  law  to  (fod;  yes,  and  that  before 
he  marries.  The  Lord  taught  Adam  to  obev  him  before  he  trave  him 
a  wife.  A  prudent  wife  is  (lods  gift,  Prov.  H):lt;  an  imprudent  one 
is  the  devil's  curse,  Prov.  7:27.  Obedience  to  (Jod's  laws  is  the  best 
pre})a ration  for  marriage  in  either  sex. 

Now  tlie  Jjord  brought  Adam  to  the  ])atik  of  Euphrates — it  ran 
ihrougli  the  garden — here  He  caused  the  beings  living  in  the  water  to 
swim  before  him  to  see  what  he  would  call  them.  He  gave  to  each 
species  a  name  suitable  to  its  nature  and  habits.  Likewise  the  birds, 
the  beasts  and  every  species  of  living  creatures,  came  in  view,  and  the 
names  that  Adam  gave  them  stood  ap])roved,  and  have  gone  into  their 
equivalents'in  all  languages,  and  are  retained  unto  this  day.  (ren.  2: 
19-20.  Adam  was  wiser  then  than  anv  naturalist  has  since  been. 
And  why,  because  he  had  naught  of  evil  to  clog  his  mental  powers. 
And  for  Adam  there  was  no  helpmeet  found.  If  t  hen*  had  been  one, 
he  would  have  been  glad  to  have  given  her  a  name.  The  Lord  had 
compassion  on  him  and  said.  I  will  make  an  heli)meet  for  him;  a 
favor  as  yet  unasked  by  .\dam.  So  he  pities  every  one  that  is  alone, 
and  provides  for  each  a  helpmeet.  But  ever  since  Adam  fell  every 
one  has  to  work  for  himself.  Some  pray  and  go  unblest,  because 
they  do  not  work;  while  some  never  pray,  yet  are  blest  because  they 
work.  But  those  succeed  best  who  both  work  and  pray;  for  these 
two  laws  must  be  obeyed. 

The  Deity  consulted  fn  regard  to  the  making  of  the  woman.  Gen. 
1  :2(>-28.  It  was  but  the  continuation  of  the  work  of  making  man — 
they  were  both  called  Adam  at  first — or  man.  Ft  was  fbier  and  more 
intricate  work  than  the  making  of  the  man.     If  his  lordship  was  import- 


M 


rjlE  STOrtV  OF  ORK ATfOX 


i 


i 


ant,  her  ladyship  was  none  the  less  so.  If  he  needed  strength,  she  as 
much  needed  fortitude ;  and  for  this  she  must  be  prepared.  To  pro- 
tluee  sueh  a  physique,  yet  of  the  finer  qualities  of  body  and  mind  and 
spirit  necessary  to  womanhood,  was  no  small  undertaking;  and  its 
successful  completion  was  the  crowning  work  of  Creation.  The  coup 
de  grace — finishing  stroke. 

Through  that  high  coun(til  thus  ran  the  trend  of  thought:  It  will 
not  do  take  her  directly  out  of  the  ground  ;  in  that  case,  the  man  and 
the  woman  will  be  too' far  apart ;  it  might  be  thought  they  are  two 
ileparlmenls  in  fiature — two  independent  heads — if  she  is  taken  out 
of  the  man  she  will  l)e  his  sister  and  more;  his  closest  companion — a 
pari  of  himself — and  in  bodily  and  mental  and  spiritual  aflRnities  they 
will  l>e  one.  This  plan  was  agreed  upon  and  arrangements  made  for 
the  work. 

.Vdjtm  having  indulged  so  much  in  the  delights  of  Eden,  and  in  the 
loveliness  of  all  nature  around  him,  and  taxed  his  mental  powers  to 
tind  names  approj)riate  for  all  the  species  of  livingcreatures—<^f  course 
these  were  the  first  exerci.ses  he  had  ever  had;  became  tired  in  both 
body  and  mind.  The  Lord  saw  that  hv  was  weary,  and  said,  Adam, 
my  son,  [  will  excuse  you  now ;  you  need  rest.  The  Lord  showed 
him  how  to  go  to  bed,  and  how  to  sleep,  assuring  him  that  He  would 
watch  over  him  while  he  slept,  and  that  nothing  should  hurt  him. 
"He  giveth  His  beloved  sleep,"  Ps.  127:2.  Being  tired,  he  slept 
.soundly,  and  very  deeply.  Why  should  he  not?  He  had  never  done 
aught  of  evil  to  (listurb  his  repose.  Therefore,  although  all  alone  in 
the  world,  he  could  sweetly  sleep.  Gen.  2:21. 

While  he  slept  the  Lord  came  softly,  and  witliout  pain  to  his  pa- 
tient, made  an  incision  from  the  middle  of  his  chest  clear  around  to 
his  spine,  just  below  his  heart,  and  gently  removed  a  rib,  without 
losing  a  dro))  of  blood.  He  came  at  a  time  when  the  circulation  was 
most  conjplete,  so  that  every  element  of  man's  nature  should  be 
epitomi/e<l  in  the  bone,  flesh  md  blood  whi<*h  He  removed.  He  healed 
tlie  wound  so  nicely  that  Adam  was  not  in  the  least  disfigured  by  it: 
nor  was  he  ever  the  weaker  for  having  lost  that  rib. 

The  \jov{\  retired  a  short  distance  and  went  to  work.  Xor  could  you 
have  told  from  trace  of  blootl  tlu'  place  at  which  he  worked.  In  the 
happy  hands  of  the  ('reator  that  rib  soon  grew  into  a  spinal  column 
crowned  with  a  beautiful  cranium,  arms  and  lower  extremities,  hands, 
feet,  lingers  and  toes  were  formed;  heart,  lungs  and  all  viscera  were 
produced,  with  veins,  arteries  and  nuisclesj  covered  over  all  with  a 
skin  of  softest,  finest  texture;  ornamented  with  a  beautiful  head  of 
hair — long,  reaching  quite  low — black — in  beautiful  contrast  with 
Adam's,  which  was  red;  organs  of  sense  duly  formed;  features  all 
<-omplete ;  lithe  of  limb ;  of  exquisite  form.  '''A  thing  of  beauty"  she 
was,  "and  a  joy  forever." 

Some,  however,  might  not  think  she  was  truly  a  joy  forever,  as  she 
afterwards  was  a  means  of  bringing  trouble  upon  Adam.  It  >vas, 
though,  bett-er  for  him  to  be  in  trouble  with  her  than  to  be  without  her. 
And  which  is  better  than  beauty — more  general  and  more  lasting — she 
was  enriched  with  a  peculiar  sweetness,  the  like  of  which  was  not  found 
in  anything  else.  whi<-h  should  insure  her,   as  well  as  weaker  nature. 


/    \ 


THK  STORY  OF  ORKATrOX. 


ii;"). 


■^\ 


1     I     i 


protection  at  the  hand  of  man ;  and  is  better,  by  far,  than  any 
endowment  of  money  value.  And  while  since  the  fall  her  desire  is  to 
her  husband,  he  is  ever  drawn  and  fastened,  and  held  by  her  charms. 
This  affinity,  founded  in  nature,  in  mental  affection,  and  in  spiritual 
adhesion,  as  well  as  in  physical  attractions — mutual  between  thtMU — 
affords  strong  evidence  of  the  high  source  whence  they  came. 

Among  birds  and  domestic  fowls,  the  male  is  usually  more  beautiful 
than  the  female.  So  it  is,  too,  in  some  animals,  both  small  and 
large.  But  in  the  human  family  the  female  is  the  more  pretty. 
However,  I  can't  say  how  it  appears  to  the  opposite  sex. 

The  Lord — Elohim — breathed  into  her  nostrils  the  breath  of  life — 
lives — animal,  mental  and  spiritual  life — and  she  became  a  living 
soul — an  immortal  spirit — like  Adam.  For  she,  too,  was  made  in  the 
image  of  God,  Gen.  1 :27,     And  a  daughter  of  (irod — Elohim — she  was. 

How  happy  she  was  when  she  opened  her  eyes  upon  the  beautiful 
world  all  around  her!  Upon  the  pretty,  sw^eet  flowers,  and  beautiful 
birds — the  whole  world  was  a  scene  of  beauty  and  sweetness  to  her. 
The  little  animals  seemed  to  love  her,  and  she  began  to  pet  them, 
and  said  to  the  Lord,  I  thank  you  so  much  for  giving  me  so  many 
pretty,  sweet  things!  But  when  she  saw  some  of  the  large 
animals,  though  they  were  outside  the  garden,  she  began  to  feel 
afraid,  and  thought  within  herself,  how  can  1  live  among  these  crea- 
tures? The  Lord  told  her  she  neerl  not  be  afraid,  and  said,  do  you 
see  that  man  sleeping  yonder  upon  the  soft  grass,  in  the  shade,  under 
the  tree  of  life?  Upon  his  strong  arm  shall  you  lean,  and  together 
you  shall  subdue  the  beasts.  1  made  him  out  of  the  groimd,  aiul 
have  made  you  out  of  him.     Vou  shall  be  one  together-man  and  wife. 

To  see  there  was  another,  so  much  like  herself,  and  yet  so  strong 
and  brave,  with ji  sharing  in  his  companionship,  all  she  could  desire, 
filled  her  soul  with  such  emotions  as  she  had  not  felt  before.  In  those 
happy  moments  all  life's  highest  enjoyments  and  grandest  hopeiK 
passed  through  her  heart.  A  brightness  of  transcendent  beauty  played 
over  her  face,  while  the  pure,  happy  spirit  within,  from  the  depths  of 
innocency  and  pure  love  in  the  heart  beneath,  quite  shone  out  through 
the  flesh — for  the  moment  it  was  almost  a  transfigured  face.  Oh.  happy 
scene  of  earth's  flrst  love!  But  Adam  did  not  see  that  beauty 
superb — mingled  with  gladness — in  love's  earliest  rise.  Nor  all  the 
fullness  of  that  happy  hour  did  she  ever  tell  him.  but  transmitted  all 
of  it  she  could  to  her  daughters,  fair  and  pure. 

\\'hile  Adam  was  taking  his  necessary  rest  and  slee^p  the  Lord  did 
great  things  for  him.  So  now  while  one  half  of  the  world  are  asleep, 
the  other  half  are  awake;  and  the  Lord  alternately  watching  over 
each  ;  by  day  and  by  night,  whether  they  sleep  or  wake.  How  thank- 
ful we  sliould  be ! 

Though  having  all  earthly  blessings  but  one,  Adam  went  to  sleep 
thinking  about- his  lonely  <rondition — that  he  had  no  company  on 
earth — no  helper — no  means  of  perpetuating  his  species — as  he  saw- 
all  other  creatures  had.  In  his  dreams  he  saw  another  man;  not 
quite  like  himself,  but  resembling  him  very  closely.  He  wished  so 
much  that  that  man  would  come,  stay  and  keep  company  with  him. 
Presently  he  sjiw  that  it  was  a  woman  !     His  own  counterpart !     And 


VA)tiK<^^'  '  t^c:^*'^''^ 


3(; 


THE  STORY  UF  CREATIOX 


Uf  lli<Ki<,'-hf  she  is  my  sislpr.  my  helpmeet !  O  how  pretty  and  lovely 
she  appearetl  I  She  came  near  to  him.  he  kissed  lier,  and  said.  How 
I  wish  voii  would  eoiiie  and  stav  wirii  me  I  She  said,  I  will  after 
awhile;  and  vanished  out  of  his  sij^ht.  Just  then  he  waked  and  saw 
the  Jjord  eomin<:^  to  hin»  with  that  beautiful  ereature  walkinjr  by  his 
side  I  How  surprist»d  !  And  how  deli^dited  he  was  !  And  Oh.  how 
he  loved  lierl  \\'ith  a  purer  love,  perhaps,  than  any  of  his  sons  have 
since  felt.     She  loved  him.  too,  with  a  love  (jucHMily  and  pure. 

The  Lord  said,  Adam,  I  wassorrvfor  vou  in  vour  loneliness  an<!  have 
made  and  liave  l)rou;.rht  «*  helpmeet  for  you.  Adam  said.  Blessed  b^ 
Thy  holy  name!     I  thank  thee  with  all  tuv  heart   for  so  j?reat  a  ♦rift? 

The  Lord  left  them  to  themselves  for  awhile.  How  sweeth'  the 
moments  [)assed  as  they  conversed  together!  No  purer  love  has  ever 
been  enjoye<I  by  any  of  their  children  since.  Nor  need  1  tell  you 
they  were  ha|>py. 

From  childhood  on  we  re<'eive  the  pleasures  of  life  orradually,  but 
perfectefl  manhoorl  and  wonjaiihofxl  burstiriir  upon  them  suddenly  all 
at  once,  and  that  so  ft)rt  unatciy,  gave  them  an  experience  of  real 
happiness.  vvhi<'h  we  cannot  realize.  And  their  happiness  was  fur- 
ther hightened  from  the  fact  they  were  surrounded  by  a  world  whose 
beauties  had  never  been  marred,  nor  its  peace  interrupted  in  any 
wav. 

After  awhile  Eve  said,  O  Adam,  what  is  that  I  hear?  O  what  sweet 
sounds!  Did  you  ever  hear  such!  Behold,  the  clouds  are  full  of 
.shininjr  ones,  .somewhat  like  us  only  they  have  wings  and  shine  like 
the  sun  !  Soon  the  garden,  all  around  where  tliey  stood,  was  full  of 
the  heavenly  host,  praising  the  Creator  for  His  wonderful  works  of 
creation. 

And  when  they  <-ame  to  the  creation  of  the  man  and  the  woman 
they  struck  their  highest  notes,  and  said  : 

For  though  (►ut  of  the  ground  He  took  them; 

In'His  own  image  he  made  them. 

He  breathed  into  them  the  life  of  man, 

•And  innnortal  souls  they  became. 

His  own  olfspri ng  tht\v  are. 

And  our  younger  brothers. 

For  then  the  morning  stars  sang  together,  and  all  the  sons  of  God 
shouted  for  joy.  Job  tlH.7.  Here  the  Lord  savs  thev  did  it  at  the 
Creation.  xMorning  stars— angels  of  highest  station. '  Sons  of  Ood— 
angels  (.f  ordinary  rank.  All  of  them,  however,  are  called  sons  of 
God.  They  had  now  appeared  upon  the  stage,  to  celebrate  the  clos- 
ing of  the  works  of  Creation,  upon  the  field  of  action;  to  witness  the 
first  marriage,  and  to  bear  their  congratulations  to  the  happy  pair. 
And  who  has  not  felt  a  solemn  presence  in  the  weddintr  chamber- 
enough  to  make  the  holiest,  and  the  stoutest  minister  of  the  o-ospei 
tremble  while  he  performs  that  holy  ceremony,  showing  it  is  a^'thinc^ 
not  to  be  trifled  with;  that  the  Lord  throws  around  it  a  .sanctitv 
which  all  should  respect. 

In  this  august  and  holy  presence  the  first  marriage  nuptials  were 
celebrated,   by    Him,    perhaps,  who  afterward    blessed    another  mar- 


J 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATIOX. 


m 


J   \ 


riage  with  His  visible  presence,  John  2:1.  At  that  time  Adam  and 
Eve  were  always  ready  to  meet  th(Mr  Heavenly  visitors;  nor  did  even 
the  presence  of  (rod  Himself  atl'right  them  ;  for  heaven  and  earth  were 
then  in  perfect  harmony — would  l)e  now,  but  for  sin. 

Adam  now  gave  his  l)ride  a  ?uime.  He  was  an  expert  in  naming. 
He  called  her  woman.  They  all  agreed  to  that,  and  it  was  so  recorded. 
Neither  have  the  centuries  siruu'  found  for  hera  l>etter,  (Jen.  2:2^-21; 
nor  have  they  foun<l  better  reasons  why  a  man  should  love  his  wife. 
They  were  the  counterparts  of  each  other.  It  took  ihem  both  to  make 
one  perfect  human  l)eing,  in  all  respects.  The  one  is  not  without  the 
other  in  the  Lord,  1  (-or.  11:11.  F^ither  without  the  other  is  incom- 
jjlete.  One  alone  cannot  fill  all  the  purposes  of  ( Veation.  The  crea- 
tion of  mati  was  unfinished  until  the  wonnm  was  made. 

"And  God  blessed  them" — how  good  is  His  blessing!  "And  (Jod 
said  unto  them,  be  faithful,  and  multiply,  and  replenish  the  earth, 
and  subdue  it,  and  have  dominion  over  the  fish  of  the  sea,  and  over 
the  fowl  of  the  air,  and  over  every  living  thing  that  moveth  upc^n  the 
earth."  Geii.  1  :2S.  Obedience  to  His  laws  is  the  sun^  way  to  high- 
est enjoyment,  but  disobedience  to  them  brings  untold  miseries. 

They  had  the  fullest  liberty  to  all  the  enjoyments  of  the  garden — 
only  one  tree  forbidden — yet  that  upon  j^aiii  of  death.  "In  the  day 
thou  eatest  thereof,  thou  shalt  surely  die."  (ien.  2:17;  or  Ix'ginning 
in  tliat  dav  to  die,  thou  shalt  ultimatclv  die  out  of  the  earth,  it  was 
their  duty  to  dress  the  garden  ;  improve  it  if  they«-oul(l,  more  to  their 
taste  ;  and  to  keep  it — protect,  or, perhaps,  ))ossess  it .  It  was  to  ])e  theirs 
upon  certain  conditions.  Suppose  they  had  not  disobeyed,  and  their 
niullij)lying  posterity  had  become  too  numerous  for  it,  then  they 
would  be  able  to  relieve  the  situation,  for  they  were  ])ut  in  dominion 
of  all  the  earth,  and  over  everything  in  it. 

The  Lord  now  takes  a  general  view  of  all  the  things  He  had  made; 
is  pleased  with  it  all  as  a  whole,  as  well  as  in  all  of  its  particidars;  was 
satisfied  with  everything  lie  had  done.  The  whole  (rodhead  approved; 
jjronounced  it  good,  "verj'  good,"  or,  good,  good,  a  Hebraism  for 
that  which  is  ])erfect.  "And  the  evening  and  the  morning  were  the 
sixth  day,"  Gen.  1  Mi.     "And  the  Sald)ath  drew  on,"  Luke  2;J:r)-l. 

It  was  now  at  the  close  of  the  sixth  day.  This  was  the  greatest  ajid 
the  grandest,  the  crowning  day's  work  of  all.  In  successive  steps  the 
others  led  up  to  this;  and  by  so  many  closely  <-onnected  links  pre- 
jjared  for  it.  Every  living  thing  was  provided  for  l)efore  it  was  brought 
into  the  world;  especially  the  man,  and  more  especially  was  the 
woman.  Oncoming  they  found  a  home  well  adapted  to  their  every 
avenue  of  personal  enjoyuKMit :  and  to  either,  and  to  both,  their  happi- 
ness was  made  comolete. 

Oh,  happy  Sixth  day,  above  any  of  the  rest, 

'i1iy  work  was  blest  ;   nnd  thy  experience  too! 

For  thy  pleasure  it  was  to  see. 

From  the  earth  agape  the  springing  forth 

Of  the  mighty  monsttM's  of  the  land. 

In  all  iIh'  fullness  of  their  jmwers !     . 

In  his  ponderous  trea<l  to  see 


as. 


THE  STOP.Y  OF  CRKATTOX. 

The  |)<M-f(H*t  elephant  walk  forth. 

The  lion,  at  once  ]>orn  to  imperial  strenu'th. 

The  hors« — the  prince  of  the  beastly  race. 

In  all  his  splendid  heauty  to  j^^allop  forth; 

Aixl  all  the  rest,  both  .irrent  and  small. 

Savvesl  thon  first  in  sportive  life  upon  the  earth 

And  thou  knewest  that  without  touch  of  hand. 

The  mij^hty  Maker  <lid  it  all.  that  at  His  word  vacU  came. 

Into  its  own  circle  of  beinu;.      But  now,  as  not  before. 

Thou  didst  sec  Him  touch  the  earth; 

And  out  of  the  earth,  with  His  own  hands,  ' 

Thou  didst  see  Him  make  man — 

He  who  in  nature  is  over  all  the  rest. 

And  sawest  thou  that  heaven  furnished  the  soul  of  man. 

And  other  thinirs  too.  ah  I  cpiite  as  j^jrand  didst  thou  see! 

For  out  «)f  His  nature  eom[)lete, 

Both  heaven  :ind  earth  cond)inini::. 

Thou  sawest  Him  his  helpmeet  make. 

And,  too,  thou  didst  see  the  happy  lie. 

That  bound  the  two  in  one,  witli  all  of  Kden's  perfect  ji^ood, 

And  heaven "s  blissful  smiles.  th(»u  sawest  tliem  blest. 

And  heardest  thou  all  the  haj)py  laws. 

Which  then,  to  them  were  j»ivcn. 

Now  Thv  work  is  doin',  closed  \)v  'I'hv  eouncilsj; 

Shut  be  all  thy  places  of  business. 

And  of  worldly  pleasures  too, 

Silent,  be  all  thy  industries  and  arts; 

Down  be  laid  every  tool,  with  whicli  thou  hast  wrought, 

And  let  the  mighty  workman  rest. 

For  if  not  liard  for  Him,  He  has  wroiiirht  well, 

Kven  well  for  Almjrihtv  Knerj!:v  ; 

And  well  desiM'ves  that  sweet  rest 

The  world  will  also  stand  in  uvimI  of, 

That  j)rincely  example  while  time  shall  last  : 

"Then  let  him  enter  into  his  rest."  Heb.  4:4. 

Now  let  {'xory  harp  in  heaven  be  attuned  to  His  praise; 

And  let  each  rollint;   sj)her»'  catch  the  rapturous  strain; 

F'rf)m  nearest  to  most  distant  skies  echo  it  forth. 

Till  all  fiature,  with  Eden's  happy  pair, 

Shall  join  His  «i:lory  to  declare. 


\ 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION 


iVJ. 


CHAPTER  VFI. 

THE  SEVENTH  DAY. 

Thk  indii.strious  Workman,  towards  tln^  (dose  of  the  sixth  day  con- 
tinued His  work  until  it  was  j^rowinjj^  late — the  xun  had  set — yet  there 
was  work  to  do;  an<l  He  did  not  want  to  leave  any  to  be  taken  up  on 
the  eiirhth  day;  so  He  continued  to  brin<^  it  to  completion.  Now  the 
curtains  of  ni«j:ht  were  droppinjj:  upon  the  eastern  horizon  ;  the  be^in- 
nlnj?  of  the  Sabl)ath    was  near  at    han<l — cominu:   on  ajKice — and    He 


!\ 


nuist  work  in  haste  to  finish ;  and  to  set  a  perfect  example  to  all  men 
and  women  and  children  henceforth  to  be  careful  to  keep  the  whole 
of  the  Sabbath  day  holy;  therefore  He  (iiiickly  iLrave  His  work  the 
last  flnisliint^  tonches,  and  ended  just  at  the  be«2:innin«»'  of  the  Sabbath 
ni.i,dit.     (Jen.  2:2. 

For  it  had  been  His  holy  desi»?n  to  consecrate  the  whole  of  that  day 
to  sacred  use,  so  He  wouhl  not  borrow  a  moment  of  its  holy  time. 
Herein  we  have  an  example  of  industry  and  j^erseverance  as  well  as 
of  restin*^  on  the  Sabbath,  both  in  its  hours  of  sunliirht  and  of  dark- 
ness. Not  a  li^ik  of  work  did  He  do  on  the  Sabbath,  but  ended  all  His 
work  just  as  the  first  moment  of  Sabbath  time  apj)roa(died.  Now  He 
entered  fully  int(^  His  rest. 

The  chickens,  i^uineas,  jj^eese  and  ducks  nestled  down  to  rest.  The 
birds  clasped  the  limbs  of  trees,  and  of  bushes  for  their  nij;ht's 
repose.  Hushed  were  all  the  insects,  couched  under  the  i^rass,  the 
rocks,  and  in  other  hidinji;  places  to  sleep.  Down  were  laid  all  the 
animals  o!i  earth  and  likewise  those  in  the  water,  for  their  nij^ht's  rest 
and  sleep.  Nor  did  the  lion,  the  wolf  nor  owl  j^o  out  to  [)rey  to  break 
that  happy  repose.  For  the  beasts  of  prey  then  eat  j^rass  and  ^rain. 
as  did  the  sheep  and  goat,  and  the  birds  of  |)rey  likewise.  Neither 
did  Adam  go  a  'possum  hunting.  He  kept  himself  strictly  to  the  law 
of  the  Sabbath  night.  Ere  the  rising  dawn,  afore  the  red  amber 
appeared  in  the  east,  the  birds  began  to  sing,  thegeese  to  chatter,  the 
rooster  to  crow  and  the  insects  to  (diirp.  as  in  full  joy  of  thankful  life. 
Nor  did  a  rising  hawk  go  forth  in  search  of  chicken  or  bird  for  prey. 
])ut  was  satistied  to  breakfast  on  vegetable  diet.  Neither  did  Adam 
and  Kve  go  a  fishing  nor  rabbit  hunting,  'i'hey  kept  all  of  the  Sal>- 
bath  holy.  On  and  on.  rested  the  happy  Creator,  all  the  day.  lie 
was  satisfied  with  the  homage  of  His  living  creatures.  In  His  heart 
He  said  it  was  good.  i5ut  on  went  the  earth  and  every  revolving 
sphere  in  perpetual  motion,  as  wheels  that  never  tire,  that  neverstop. 
So  did  all  the  laws  of  life — they  know  n(»  Sabbath. 

Nor  ne(vl  we  suppose  the  Creator  was  tired.  He  is  not  a  man,  that 
lie  should  become  wearv.  Is.  4():2S.  The  word  rest  in  the  text  means 
cessation  from  work,  as  in  Rev.  4:8,  ''They  rest  not  day  and  night." 
That  is,  cease  not.  Hut  praise  the  Lord,  as  we  would  say  every  day 
and  every  night;  though  there  is  no  night  in  heaven,  nor  any  day 
in   h(dl. 

The  J.,ord  ceased  from  all  creative  work  then  for  twenty-four  hours, 
one  revolution  of  the  earth  on  ber  axis;  also  from  malting  anything 
during  that  time.  Not  as  a  man  when  he  has  wrought  12  hours,  did 
the  liord  need  rest  each  night,  but  worked  24  hours  e4(di  of  the  six 
days.  The  text  implies  that  He  did.  He  began  each  day's  work  at 
the  beginning  of  each  night.  The  first  thing  in  the  j)rogramme  was  to 
create  time;  and  it  began  in  darkness.  The  exi)ression  evening  and 
morning,  wherever  repeated  in  the  text,  means,  as  we  would  say.  His 
work  went  on  both  bv  dav  and  bv  night,  and  of  course  FTis  work  was 
carried  on  alike  all  around  the  earth  and  throughout  the  material 
univei*se;  as  His  providence  goes  on  now  by  day  atid  l)y  night  over 
evervthing  which  He  made.      His  eyes  never  sleep;   liis  eyeli«ls  never 


40. 


THE  STOKY  OF  ('KEATTOX 


slumber.     Bv  day  and  bviHifht,   His  evos  run  to  and  fro  in  all  the 
earth — see  all  thai  is  done. 

On  the  eig^hth  day  hfe  beijan  His  <j:eneral  superintendence  over  all 
tlie  thinj^s  He  had  created  and  nuide.  For  since  that  time  nothinjjf 
more  than  that  was  needed  in  the  ordinary  course  of  nature.  And  it 
would  seem  that  that  was  e?iouiih  to  keep  eyen  omniscience,  omni- 
presence and  omnipotenct^  full  busy.  Just  think  what  a  work  it  would 
be  to  watch  over  the  human  family  alone,  to  say  nothiui^  of  all  the 
rest,  and  to  provide  for  them  all  I  'I'he  thought  of  it,  in  its  dilTerent 
departments  of  interest,  caused  the  heathen  in  their  weakness  to 
invent  <i:ods  many;  one  or  more  for  every  depiirtment  of  human  life. 
Christ  says.  '".My  P'ather  workel  h  hitherto,  and  I  work,"  John  <^):\7. 
Herein  we  should  follow  His  example  of  workinu'  <lurini'  the  six  days, 
a*  well  as  of  restiiiii"  on  the  Sabbath. 

Oh,  sweet  S<*vtMith  day  of  worship  and  of  rest. 

Than  all  more  honored  and  more  blest  : 

For  thou  alone,  did  He  hallow  for  His  «)wn! 

Happy  wast  thou  to  behold  u  world. 

Full  at  ease,  tridy  at  rest. 

For  none  thy  repose  did  disturb; 

Neither  thy  worship  interrupt. 

\o  seekt-r  of  worldly  ;,^ain  a  wheel  did  move. 

Nor  lover  of  pleasinv  even  wish 

Thy  .•iacred  time  to   profane. 

All  nature,  as  well  as  sentietit  life. 

Seemed  to  ^sympathize  with  thy  hallowed  rest. 

And  thy  holy  worship  tool 

O  thou  parent  and  jjattern  of  all  Sabbaths  since. 

Thou  of  all  Sabbaths  wert   n»ost   blest. 

For  thou  wast  thy  Maker's  rest  ! 

For  s<*an*(dy  more  bh^st  was  she. 

Who  saw  her  l.oM  in  triumph  rise! 

fn  man's  nature  mount  the  skies, 

HaviiiL'  redeemed  the  nature  He  made. 


/ 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


41. 


(^HAFTER  VIII. 

CREATION'S  WEEK. 

<)h,  happy  first  seven  of  days.  Idlest  were  your  eyes. 

For  nau<,'ht  of  evil  did  they  see, 

F>ut  that  o!dy  which  was  jjfood  I 

And  the  hiu;h  testitnony  which  ye  bore. 

Has  since  to  all  been  handed  down.; 

Arid  in  that  happy  knowled^re. 

Each  of  them  has  marche<l  to  its  account. 

Sevenfold,  yea  perfect h   |,|t^sl  were  ye! 

And  you  saw  the  layin<>;  of  the  juassive 

Foundations  of  the  material  worhls. 

And  the  rise  of  their  U\\j:U  toweriuir  domes. 


AVith  all  the  beauty  of  their  adorning, 

Exceeding  far  the  finest  touches  of  art. 

Truly,  you  all  mankind  should  thank, 

For  of  all  the  divisions  of  time, 

Ye  gave  them  the  happiest — the  week. 

And  it  is  of  Creation's  week,  I  now  would  speak; 

Henceforth,  let  all  who  seek  the  origin  of  things  to  know, 

No  more  stoop  low;  hut  rising  high, 

Light  their  torches  at  Creation's  week. 

In  her  bosom  imbedded  are,  precious,  primal  truths, 

Which  faith  and  knowledge  shall  duly  unlock. 

For  the  good  of  all.     Let  them  out;  let  them  fly;  ^ 

On  their  happy  mission  go,  blest  and  blessing  all  below. 

To  Buddha,  ("onfucius,  Aristotle,  to  Plato,  J 

None  of  them  need  to  go,  for^Creation's  vast  store.  U  ^ 

It's  but  little  that  all  the  heathen  know. 

And  all  those  who  of  late,  have  tried  to  better  their  fate, 

By  setting  up  the  old  heathen  stake. 

Have  made  a  sad  mistake. 

To  them,  for  this  light,  none  need  to  seek. 

But  let  them  all  come  to  Creation's  week. 

Here  is  the  root,  the  spring,  the  beginning. 

Of  all  terrestrial,  material  things. 

When  breaks  forth  the  sweet  quiet, 

Of  a  ^vorld  faith  in  Sabbath  rest, 

And  the  high-sounding  bells,  to  happy  worship  do  call  us, 

Then  let  us  those  blessings  greet, 

As  the  happy  gifts  of  Creation's  week. 

And  when  in  come  the  toilers,  from  earth's  various  fields, 

The  spade,  the  hoe,  the  plow,  the  saw. 

The  wiieel,  the  spindle,  the  counter; 

Or  from  professions  high. 

Let  them  remember,  from  Creation's  breast, 

Comes  all  this  sweet  "milk"  of  human  rest^ 

And  when  down  lies  to  rest, 

The  ])atient  ox,  the  tired  mule, 

The  weary  camel,  the  jaded  horse, 

And  all  the  toiling  host  of  man's  beastly  servants. 

Then  let  instinct  as  reason,  rise. 

In  grateful  praises  to  the  skies; 

That  it  is  from  Creation's  last  and  best, 


& 


42. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 

They  Inive  this  Sabbath,  sweetest  rest. 

Creation's  story  tell,  till  all  shall  learn  it  well. 

Till  no  stnpid  infidel,  [Ps.  9'>:il] 

Shall  his  Creator  berate. 

While  he,  himself,  believes  in  fate. 

Else  it  remains  to  be  seen,  what  does  he  mean. 

When  he  says  men  are  what  t liey  must  be. 

Prav  who  made  the  decree,  that  thus  they  should  be? 

So  we  see.  a  believer  in  fate  is  he. 

When  from  proper  faith  in  (Jod  men  depart, 

They  can  believe  anythinj]^  in  heart,  fRom.  1  :21,] 

In  foolish  Ihinijs  they  will  believe  one  and  all. 

Till  they  will  say,  "there  is  no  (Jod"  at  all,  |  Ps.  5:}:!.] 

Then  the  acts  of  Creation  proclaim, 

Jn  the  tjreat  Creator's  name,  till  all  men  here  below 

Shall  happily  know,  that  He  loves  us  so !   [.John  ii  :Ui-*5 :1 

Praise  Him  throuj^h  whom  Creation  eame; 

l^et  men  and  anjrels  bless  His  name. 


CHAPTER   IX. 

RECAPITULATION. 

The  first  chapter  of  (Jenesis  «^ives  us  a  «eneral  account  of  Creation, 
while  the  second  ^nves  us  some  particulars  not  mentioned  in  the  first ; 
and  both  toi^ether  j^ive  us  that  account  of  His  six  days  of  Creation 
which  the  Lord  saw  fit  to  reveal  unto  us.  All  done  in  six  days. 
Neither  do  I  think  He  took  six  days  because  it  was  strictly  necessary 
for  Him  so  to  do.  but  for  moral  reasons  He  chose  to  do  so. "^ One  moral 
reason  is  more  weighty  with  Him  than  are  ten  physical  reasons. 

It  is  easily  seen  that  in  all  Creation  He  was  workin<<  for  the  good  of 
man;  and  the  more  for  his  moral  and  spiritual  good.  He  seeth  not 
as  man  seeth.  Blinded  by  covetousness,  man  often  thinks  it  is  bet- 
ter, sometimes,  at  least,  to  work  on  the  Sabbath,  or  a  part  of  it,  or 
take  his  own  pleasure  on  the  Sabbath  ;  but  God  sees  that  it  is  better 
for  him,  if  it  should  so  turn  out,  to  make  less,  have  less  enjoyment 
now,  and  the  rest  of  the  Sabbath  and  its  moral  good.  And  human 
experience  proves  that  in  the  long  run,  mankind  will  have  more  hap- 
piness to  keep  it  holy  on  (rod's  plan  in  Creation. 

No  doubt  but  He  could  have  done  it  all  perfectly  well  in  less  time 
if  He  had  seen  fit;  He  had  but  to  choose  it  to  be  and  it  was;  to  will 
it,  and  it  was  done.  Time  and  space  to  Him  are  naught.  What  e'er 
His  unerring  wisdom  chose,  His  power  to  being  brought.  He  tells  us 
when  He  did  it,  how  He  did  it,  and  how  much  time"  He  put  in  the 
doing  of  it. 

I  believe  the  greatest  of  all  reasons  why  He  took  six  days  was  to 
set  ivA  example  for  the  children  of  men,  as  He  delares  in  Cen.   2:2 


•s 


(f 


i 


\ 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


48. 


and  in  Ex.  20:11,  and  thereby  establish  and  enforce  the  Sabbath, 
that  we  should  be  followers  of  Him  as  dear  children,  Eph.  5  :1 — always 
do  all  of  our  secular  work  and  business  and  pleasure  in  the  six  work- 
ing days  of  the  week,  and  on  the  successive  seventh  day  rest  from  all 
our  temporal  labors,  secular  interests,  and  desist  from  all  our  worldly 
pleasures.  And  He  further  ordained  that  we  should  devoutly  worship 
Him  both  in  private  and  in  public,  on  everj^  Sabbath  day.  Of  course 
we  are  to  worship  Him  every  day  in  private,  as  well  as  to  do  all  other 
duties  of  the  week  and  the  other  duties  of  this  day  too,  as  they  may 
arise,  as  are  explained  in  the  Scriptures;  but  this  is  set  apart  espe- 
cially for  the  public  worship  of  all  mankind,  as  is  explained  in  the 
Bible.  And  thereunto  its  holy  rest  is  appointed.  It  is  all  for  man's 
comfort,  health  and  longevity  to  follow  this  example  which  our  Hea- 
venly Father  hath  set  for  us,  and  enjoined  upon  us  all  to  do  as  long 
as  we  live  in  this  world. 

I  believe  He  had  rather  have  no  human  race  at  all,  than  to  have 
that  race  without  the  law,  and  the  keeping  of  the  Sabbath,  and  the 
worship  He  requires  within  its  sacred  hours.  And  but  for  those  who 
do  so,  1  believe  the  world  would  soon  hasten  to  her  appointed  end. 

The  Sabbath  is  a  part  of  His  Creation.  Christ  says,  ''The  Sabbath 
was  made  for  man."  The  Psalmist  says,  'This  is  the  day  the  Lord 
hath  made,"  Ps.  118:24.  He  made  six  days  for  work,  one  for  rest 
and  worship.  And  further,  our  Heavenly  Father  sets  us  an  example 
in  that  He  did  His  mental  works  in  the  six  days  and  rested  from  them 
on  the  Sabbath  as  well  as  from  physical  works.  He  established  first 
of  all,  religion  ;  the  Sabbath  next;  then  marriage,  all  on  the  sixth  day. 
Perhaps  some  would  rather  say  religion  was  not  instituted,  that  it  was 
natural  to  man.  It  is  true,  the  first  state  of  man  was  religious,  but 
the  first  thing  enjoined  upon  him  was  obedience  to  God.  His  Creator 
placed  him  under  law  at  once.  And  without  law  to  God  no  man 
should  live.  I  don't  mean  he  ought  to  be  killed;  I  mean  it  is  wrong 
for  him  to  live  that  way. 

Obedience  is  the  first  lesson  for  everything,  in  all  nature;  and  it  is 
right  that  it  should  be.  There  are  no  good  citizens,  or  good  anything 
else,  without  it.  Mankind  brought  up  without  it  are  worse  than  no 
account — are  a  danuige  to  their  parents  and  to  the  public ;  except 
now  and  then  one  overcomes — rises  to  princely  nobility,  and  does  a 
good  work. 

Marriage,  like  the  Sabbath,  is  God's  w^ork  and  Creation.  Like  the 
Sabbath,  it  was  made  for  man  ;  and  like  tJie  Sabbath,  it  belongs  to  all 
mankind.  It  belongs,  in  a  sense,  to  all  Creation.  The  whole  Crea- 
tion would  be  a  failure  without  these  two  parts  of  it,  the  Jachin  and 
the  Boaz  of  the  great  temple  of  nature.  Any  man  can  see  that  it 
would  be  a  failure  without  these.  They  come  within  Creation's 
week's  work.  Every  day's  work  was  preparatory  to  these  two  things 
that  were  done  on  the  sixth  day,  at  or  before  its  close.  Nor  could  His 
work  have  been  complete  without  them.  It  must  have  been  for  moral 
reasons,  rather  than  from  physical  necessity,  that  the  far-seeing 
Creator  chose  to  put  into  his  work  of  Creation  just  six  days,  even,  and 
no  more.     And  here  is  the  first  foundation  stone  of  all  morality. 

Let  the  world  adhere  to  the  Bible  statement  on    all    these   things. 


44. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


45. 


and  all  else  is  clear.  To  vary  from  the  Bible  statement  of  them  is  one 
of  Satan's  methods  to  destroy  the  Sabbath  and  marria<?e.  If  you  can 
take  away  the  moral  influence  the  Bible  statement  of  all  these  thinj^s 
has  upon  mankind,  the  enemy  will  not  object  to  it  at  all.  There  "is" 
subtleness  in  it  all.  It  came  in  disj^uise  from  the  devil.  All  state- 
ments contrary  to  the  teachinof  of  the  Bible  are  misleadinj^  and  hurt- 
ful. I  believe  the  Creator  had  rather  have  no  human  race  at  all  than 
to  have  that  race  without  the  law  and  the  practice  of  marriage. 

If  any  think  there  is  an  improbability  of  the  works  of  Creation 
havin*^  been  done  within  six  natural  days  of  earth's  time,  let  them 
cojisider  how  lontr  it  would  take  a  beino;  of  such  vast  resources  of 
nower  and  skill  as  the  Bible  declares  the  Creator  to  be.  Some  will 
consider  how  lon^^  it  would  take  natural  processes  to  doit;  but  the 
question  is,  how  much  time  it  would  require  for  Ahnio-jitv  power  and 
and  infinite  skill  to  do  it.  n     j   i 

A  farmer  will  consider  how  much  work  can  a  bov  do;  how  much 
can  a  man  do.  And  each  is  paid  accordin<,r  to  what''  he  does.  Some 
persons  say  it  takes  then)  a  U)m^  time  to  write  a  letter,  yet  many  a 
nian  has  written  hundreds  of  business  letters  in  a  dav.  We  estimate 
often  liow  far  can  a  horse  travel  in  a  day  without  injurv  to  himself 
hut  how  much  quicker  can  a  steam  enori„e  cover  that  dist  Since.  Accord- 
Jii^'  to  the  Creator's  powers,  the  text  allows  Him  time  sufficient  for  it 
ail.  J^or  instance,  the  sixth  day  bej^an  at  theset  of  twili-ht  on  the  fifth 
(lay.  As  we  would  say,  when  nij^ht  set  in  He  be^an  His  day's  work. 
1  have  often  seen  the  day  hands  i»i  a  cotton  factory  at  that  time  -ive 
their  places  to  the  ni-ht  hands.  In  a  short  while  the  Creator,  on  His 
previous  methods  of  work,  could  have  the  earth  in  any  locality,  or  all 
over,  atee.n  with  merry,  animal  life.  The  crawlin-  hisects  on  the 
ground,  the  Hyin- ones  on  ^^in<r   in  the  atmosphere,  and   the    playful 

for  ri'  "  '^'""^  '' 1  T''  '^r  '''''^  '^^'  ^^^  if  instinctively  praisiif^  H  m 
for  happy  beincr;  and  Ion-  before  midni-ht,   as  we  would   say    have 

hem'':^it  ""^  '"  '"'  "'t^- 1  ^"^^  ^^-^  "^  P"^  '^^-  -  ^--^-  over 
them  all,  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  ^et  acquainted  with  his  subiects 

and  name  his  possessions.     Hence  the  i.ord  had  them  by  iTnd  and  In' 

water   to  proceed  before  Adam,  so  he  mi<,ht  name  them      He  cou  1 

have  done  all  that  before  midday.     And  The  makin<,   of   the  worn. n 

and  the  instructions  He  gave  them,  and  all   else  connec  ed   wUh   Hie 

narrative  of  the  work,  could  have  been  done  before  the  ctse  of   that 

day.    There  is  nothincr  in  the  Bible  account  of  the  six  day-work    h^t 

is;^^S  'if  u:^'  '^'1^1'  ^^ '''  '^^^p^^^^-  - '^^  ^^ 

ili^       1,    ,  ^    u      ,    *"  "''""^  ^"*  man's  invention,  thev  certainly  sue 

ThP  r  L'    "'  ""'  I""*'"'"''  "f  ^'^''y  ""''  H'«  '"iKhVv  works  aZe  w  t h 
The  Book  from  end  to  end.     Suppose  on  the  contrarv    He  iV^riTnl 

or  did  take,  a  thou.^and  years  fulFin  eaeh  dayl  Zk'  "nd  tsTed  "^ 

s!;^iX^rT.tti!r'^"-^- """  -'-- '"-— ^  it  rne^ither:.^;*;:^'; 
.of 7ir;;:-it^:.^"^:  /rJ^^r- -  -  -  -:  :-„ »-  ^^ 

holy  n,arr,a^e  and  blessed  Sabb.ath,  it  is  one  of  the  ve?v   best   .L 


y 


i 


> 


igs 


we  have.  We  could  scarcely  get  along  without  it.  Deprive  us  of  that, 
and  we  will  be  bereft  indeed.  If  it  were  but  a  human  composition,  it 
is  one  of  the  happiest  the  human  family  has  ever  had. 

What  have  philosophy  and  science  done  to  show  us  the  beginning 
of  things?  Nothing;  and  they  never  will.  It  does  not  come  within 
their  range.  They  do  not  know  when  the  beginning  was.  Neither 
can  they,  by  their  methods,  find  out. 

The  statement  in  (lenesis  is  grand,  sublime  and  positive.  No  wri- 
ter dare  make  such  a  statement  without  history  or  sometliing  else  to 
justify  him,  as  he  would  be  forced  to  acknowledge  he  only  wrote  a 
fiction.  It  bears  upon  its  face  the  conviction  of  its  truthfulness. 
The  Jews  said,  "We  know  tliat  Cod  spake  unto  Moses,"  John  9:29. 
The  record  shows  that  (lod  told  him  to  write  the  other  books  of  the 
Pentateuch,  and  doubtless  lie  told  him  to  write  this  too,  and  what  to 
put  in  it.  Or  otherwise  he  was  guided  by  correct  tradition  or  written 
history  of  all  the  facts  from  the  first.  Josephus  says,  "the  people  of 
Pergamus  liad  public  records  from  the  days  of  Abraham."  There  is 
no  reason  why  Adam  should  not  have  written.  I'm  sure  no  man  can 
prove  that  he  did  not.  No  uninspired  mind,  unaided  by  history  or 
tradition  could  have  conceived  such  a  statement  of  the  various  acts 
of  Creation  as  we  have  in  Genesis,  (^ne  of  these  three  things  he  must 
have,  history,  tradition  or  revelation  from  Heaven,  If  he  had  neither 
history  nor  tradition,  tlien  it  was  purely'  a  matter  of  revelation. 

Without  any  of  these,  who  could  have  conceived  such  a  statement 
of  Creation  in  all  her  departments,  as  is  here  given?  And  it  is  the 
only  one  that  agrees  with  the  Bible  throughout,  alike  in  both  Testa- 
ments on  the  subject;  and  the  only  one  that  will  stand  at  the  judg- 
ment bar  of  common  sense.  Who  would  have  thought  that  on  the 
first  day,  after  creating  the  chaotic  bulks  of  the  afterward  solid  bodies, 
He  would  do  nothing  else  with  that  all  powerful  word,  which  them  to 
being  brought,  than  to  watch,  so  to  speak,  their  motions  until  the 
middle  of  that  day,  then  clothe  them  with  a  material  light  exactly 
suited  to  them  in  all  of  their  offices  and  relations,  and  when  the  day 
marked  four  and  twenty  hours  of  our  time,  to  call  it  to  halt,  and  give 
place  to  the  evening  of  the  second  day — its  beginning,  or  the  second 
night,  counting  the  day  by  her  revolutions  on  her  axis;  having  made 
the  earth  just  of  that  size  on  purpose  that  her  days  should  be  24 
hours  long,  fixing  from  the  first  the  perpetual  bounds  of  day  and 
night ;  and  having  given  her  the  exact  momentum,  and  such  relations 
to  the  sun  and  other  bodies,  that  her  diurnal  revolutions  should  be 
permanently  24  hours  in  length  of  time ;  putting  her  in  that  position 
in  space  that  would  cause  her  to  make  her  annual  revolutions  around 
the  sun  so  as  to  register  the  months,  the  four  seasons  and  the  year. 
That  He  would  take  all  of  the  second  day  to  furnish  and  adjust 
atmospheres  and  skies  for  the  earth  and  her  attendant  worlds.  That 
He  would  let  the  whole  earth  lie  under  water  until  the  third  day; 
and  that  He  would  take  a  whole  day  in  making  the  dry  land  and  the 
seas,  and  garnishing  the  arable  part  of  the  earth  with  all  manner  of 
vegetable  growth  !  And  w^ho  would  have  thought  He  would  wait  until 
the  fourth  day  to  produce  sunlight;  and  that  He  would  have  taken 
the  whole  of  that  day  in  furnishing  light  and  heat  for  the  sun,  moon 


4ih 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATIO^^. 


THE  STORY  OF  GREATIO?^. 


47. 


^ 


and  stars,  when  He  had  before  created  a  universe  of  light  at  a  word! 
And  when  too,  there  remained  so  mucli  work  to  be  done  on  the  two 
only  remaining;  days  to  work  to  fill  out  His  plan  !     Wiio  would  have 
thought  He  would  have  waited  until  the  liftli  day  before  making  any 
living  creature;  and  that  He  would  tiien  begin  with  the  water;  and 
that. He  would  give  the  waters  power  to  stock  the  waters  with  sen- 
tient life— to  bring  them  botli  in  all  their  perfection  and  beauty — and 
Hying  fowl  likewise?     That  He  would  wait  until  the  beginning  of  the 
sixth  day  before  creating  the  land  animals;  and  that  He  wouM  bring 
them  directly  out  of  the  ground  as  if  the  earth  lierself  had  generative 
power?     And  after  that  that  the  womb  of  the  earth  and  of  the  waters 
be  forever   closed;  so   that  henceforth  all  animals  should  come  from 
parents;  nml  plants  from  seed,  or  slips,  buds  or  grafts!    That  on  the 
sixth  day  he  would  make  man  ;  and  that  this  should  be  the  first  work 
His  hands  should  touch;  that   He  would   take  his    bodv  out  of   the 
ground,  breathe  his  life  in  at  his  nostrils;  that  his  was  the  only  body 
formed  without  life,  and  the  life  given  it  afterward;  that  wonum  was 
taken  out  of  man!     That  all    should    be  done  in  six   days-   that  He 
wou  d  rest  on  the  seventh  day:  that  He  should  exemplify  and  ordain 
the  holy  babbath  for  man's  use  and  happiness.     And  doubtless  tak- 
ing full  SIX  days  for  moral  reasons. 

The  human  mind  of  itself  could  not  have  produced  such  a  declara- 
tion  of  these  things  as  we  find  here.  We  know  without  this  it  has  not 
been  since  done.  Compared  with  this  all  that  men  have  conceived 
are  mere  vagaries.  The  weakest  point  in  any  of  them  is  the  effort  to 
(iesoul  mankind.  AH  merely  human  conceptions  of  it  leave  morality 
out  of  tlie  question— a  proof  that  this  must  be  Divine.  It  carries  that 
likeness  upon  its  face.  The  conclusion  is,  it  was  inspired  of  (rod- 
or  revealed  to  Adam  by  the  Creator,  and  handed  down  by  orai 
instruction,  or  reduced  to  writing  from  the  first 

..^^''^.\''!'^^^^^  to  write;  having   to    be 

to  1    m  Mt  t -^^    1     strongest  supposition  is  He  would  have  learned 
t  to  him  at  his  earliest  need.     The  highest  probability  is,  the  art  of 
^^rlt,ng  was  known  to  mankind  from  Adam  all  along  to  this  time 

1  know  of  no  philosoplier  or  scientist  that  ever  conjectured  thit 
""aLlt'^^^^^^^  •^^-^"^^'  nordid^AIos  t 

tM    knlw  I'^i;  H  'r  ^^'  ''  ^''^  ''"^^''^""'  "^'  ^''''^^y-     Doubtless 

Himself    Gen    I  ^"^ ''^^^'' ""^  ^^^^^-^^^.  ^^  «^^^    ^^  ^»^e   Creator 
XII  riheii,    uen.  e5.J9-2,l     W  e  may  observe  of   ourselves   that   hum-in 

rZ"L  from  Hen^n     tY  '"''  f   ?"  '"'^''"^  ''-''""''  ''«^-'«'-«   '^^^ 
midied  irom  Jiea\en.    Those  wlio  try  to  <'et  aloiv  without  tho  Rihlo 

want  to  say  man  came  from  the  lowe/anin^als      Vei  he        llny^nJn 

conee.ve  the  thought  of   the  resurrection    from  the   d"    -a    seeon 


i 


> 


\ 


i 


raised  an  immortal  body— a  Spiritual  body— in  the  likeness  of  that 
glorious  body  in  which  Christ  was  raised  up  from  the  dead.  He  who 
gathered  it  at  first,  and  long  nourished  it  with  tlie  products  of  every 
zone  of  earth,  from  all  lands  and  from  all  seas,  can  as  easily  gather  its 
elements  again  from  as  many  sources.  And  He  who  makes  every 
spirit  immortal  can  as  easily  make  that  resurrected  body  immortal. 

It  is  so  common  tor  us  to  see  tire,  we  do  not  think  about  the  mvs- 
tery  of  it.  Think  of  a  great  i)ulk  of  combustible  matter — if  you 
touch  it  you  feel  it  is  cold.  Now  put  a  match  to  it — it  is  all  ablaze— 
the  smoke  rapidly  escapes,  carrying  much  of  that  decomposing  mat- 
ter away  into  the  atmosphere.  When  the  process  is  ended,  you  see 
no  remains  except  the  ashes,  coals  and  whatever  failed  to  be  con- 
sumed, which  is  very  small  to  what  was  there  before.  Yet  all  that 
matter  is  existing  in  other  forms;  none  of  it  is  destroyed.  But  no 
man  can  bring  it  back  as  it  wai^i.  Yet  the  Creator  can.  So  is  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead.  And  it  is  not  more  mysterious  than  what  is 
going  on  in  our  bodies  every  day. 

The  thought  of  man's  body  at  first  coming  out  of  the  ground,  and 
that  could  not  have  been  by  evolution,  like  the  thought  of  his  dead 
body  coming  back  again  at  the  last  day,  is  not  at  all  a  natural 
thought  to  human  genius.  We  are  entirely  indebted  to  Revelation 
for  them  both.  If  He  had  not  revealed  them  we  could  not  have 
known  them.  Just  so  in  regard  to  the  human  soul.  He  revealed' its 
origin  and  its  destiny. 

One  among  the  many  evidences  of  the  inspiration  of  Moses  is  this : 
Every  mind  outside  of  the  Bible  that  has  undertaken  to  account  for 
existence  has  taken  a  different  course  to  what  he  did.  And  his  being 
so  moral,  as  well  as  wise,  and  so  super-human,  commends  itself  at 
once  to  all  thoughtful  students  as  coming  from  the  Creator.  He  was 
Clod's  own  historian,  as  well  as  law  giver  to  men.  He  chose  and 
((ualified  him  for  it — gave  him  the  facts.  With  (xod  he  could  have 
(lone  it.  And  no  other  man  but  him  has  done  it.  Nor  is  it  at  all 
probable  that  any  man  would  study  up  a  fiction  and  make  out  the 
first  born  into  this  world  a  murderer.  Moses  stated  truth  "stranger 
than  fiction."  He  was  guided  by  the  facts — given  to  him  in  some 
way  or  other. 

Some  say  that  Shakespeare  was  the  greatest  of  English  poets,  but 
the  least  original.  Moses  was  not  at  all  original.  He  did  not  create 
a  tiling.  But  like  Confucius  he  taught  what  he  learned  from  the 
past.  For  the  most  of  that  which  he  wrote  he  received  directly  from 
the  Lord.  The  rest  was  from  those  those  who  lived  before'  him  and 
was  arranged  in  his  mind  and  expressed  by  the  inspiration  of  the 
Holy  Spirit. 

All  that  is  true  in  the  statements  of  the  heathen  on  creation,  is 
taken  from  this.  For  the  facts  of  creation  of  the  Garden  of  Eden,  of 
the  temptation,  of  the  serpent,  of  the  fall  of  man,  of  the  flood,  the 
overthrow  of  the  Tower  of  Babel,  the  dispersion  of  mankind  thence, 
and  the  split  of  man's  speech  into  different  dialects,  were  known 
among  all  nations.  Handed  down  by  tradition,  if  not  by  history,  and 
many  fragments  of   them  remain  unto  this  day,  and   are  strong  pre- 


48. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


49. 


sumptive  pi*oof  of  the   truthfulness  of  all   those  statements  on   the 
same  subjects  in  the  Bible. 


('HAPTER  X. 

UNIVERSAL    BEING. 

Thk  universal  system  of  ail  thinj::s  as  revealed  in  the  Bible  I  un- 
derstand to  be  this :  First  of  all  (rod,  The  Father.  From  Him,  in 
some  way  unrevealed  to  us,  proceeded  (Jod  the  Son.  The  only  be- 
j^otten  of  the  Father.  It  is  so  tauu:ht  by  both  the  Father  and  the  Son 
in  Scripture.  And  it  is  to  be  understood  that  this  is  what  is  meant 
in  Rev.  o:4.  "Jesus  (/hrist  the  bei^inninj.^  of  the  creation  of  God." 
Not  that  He  is  a  created  bein^.  But  as  we  are  said  to  be  created  as 
we  arc  born  into  the  world,  so  in  thisK'^ense  he  is  called  i\  creation  of 
(rod  because  He  is  the  lirst  bej^'otten  C)f  Ood  out  of  the  Divine  nature, 
then  and  previously  existin;.^,  and  in  that  nature  had  co-eternity  with 
the  Father.  He  is  before  all  thin<j^s  except  the  Father;  and  is  next 
to  the  Father.  To  this  St.  Paul  alludes,  Col.  1:1'),  when  he  says: 
''He  is  before  all  things,  and  ali  are  below  Him  except  The  Father." 
The  Father  then  imparted  to  Him  His  own  nature  in  all  of  its  full- 
ness of  beino;,  and  in  all  of  its  peculiar  attributes.  The  difference 
between  them  in  the  essential  Divine  nature  is  this:  As  an  earthly 
Father  imparts  to  his  son  his  nature  in  full,  and  yet  loses  none  of 
that  nature  himself,  so  the  Father  did  not  lose  any  of  the  fullness  of 
the  Divine  nature  by  impartint]^  its  fullness  to  His  Son.  And  as  a  father 
is  ipxistinjij  before  his  son,  so  (rod  the  Father  existed  before  God  the 
Son.  But  as  a  son  is  of  the  same  nature  of  his  father,  so  God  the  Son 
and  God  the  Father  have  the  same  nature.  The  Father  is  lirst,  but 
the  Son  is  equal  in  every  other  sense. 

As  the  Redeemer  of  men,  for  the  time  being,  "He  was  made  a  lit- 
tle lower  than  the  angels,''  Heb.  2:9.  Appeared  in  man's  estate, 
(Phil.  2  :;■)-!  1,)  but  afterward  exalted  above  all  except  the  Father, 

And  from  the  Father  and  the  Son,  in  a  way  equally  mysterious, 
proceeded  the  Spirit  of  God.  Having  the  Divine  nature  in  all  of  its 
fullness  in  the  same  sense  as  it  exists  in  the  Father  and  the  Son,  but 
is  the  third  person  in  the  great  Godhead,  Co-eternal  with  them,  as 
out  of  that  Divine  nature  previously  existing,  as  in  the  case  of  the 
Son.  The  Divine  nature  is  a  law  unto  itself ;  and  according  to  the 
will  of  the  Father,  resolved  itself  into  the  three  Divine  personalities 
holding  in  themselves  the  essential  unity  of  the  One  God.  They  have 
equal  being,  power  and  glory  together,  and  together  constitut"e  that 
perfect  Deity  revealed  in  the  Scriptures  of  truth.  Are  one  being,  one 
God ;  revealed  in  the  Bible—borne  witness  to  in  all  nature. 

God  in  any  and  in  all  of  the  three  persons  of  the  Godhead  is  spoken 
of  throughout  the  Scriptures  in  the  masculine  gender;  but  gender 
does  not  belong  to  the  Divine  Being.  It  is  only  in  proof  of  the  per- 
sonality of  each  of  them.  But  in  the  human  nature,  Jesus  was  per- 
fectly human,  in  Spirit,  soul  and  body;  epitomized  in  Himself  both 
sexes— and  every  individual  of  man's  race,  so  as  to  represent  them  all 
m  what  He  did,  and  suffered  for  mankind. 


b 


\^ 


When  it  is  said  man  was  created  in  the  image  of  God,  it  has  no  ref- 
erence to  his  physical  nature.  Yet  he  is  in  the  image  of  God  as  a 
Trinity  spirit,  soul  and  body,  (Thes.  r):28,)  in  the  one  being,  as  God 
is  three  in  one,  a  Trinity,  the  first  creative  act  of  this  great  God- 
head was  to  make  that  heaven  which  is  entirely  Spiritual.  As  every 
one  who  wishes  to  run  a  successful  business  first  plants  himself  for 
that  business,  so  the  Deity  needed  first  of  all  a  centre  of  operation— a 
home— so  to  speak.  This  heaven,  therefore,  in  all  of  its  splendid 
beauties  and  superb  glories,  was  first  prepared  for  the  palatial  home 
of  the  Divine  Being ;'  not  as  the  heathen  say,  "the  home  of  the  Gods._ 

They  had  a  vagtieideaof  it,  but  their  minds  were  too  weak,  and  their 
hearts  too  gross,  to  express  it,  or  to  gue^  it  without  resorting  to 
material  things.  God  pitied  them,  and  winked  at  the  sin  of  it, 
(Acts  17  :80,)  for  the  time  being ;  but  since  the  fullness  of  gospel  light 
is  given,  He  no  more  winks  at  the  sin  of  it,  v.  J51. 

His  next  creative  act  was  to  bring  forth  the  angels..  The  Derty 
needed  servants;  they  were  created  to  serve  in  His  presence;  for  His 
'^•lory  were  those  first  born  sons  of  light  brought  forth.  Nor  can  I  tell 
you\vhat  He  made  them  out  of,  no  more  than  I  can  tell  you  what 
His  throne  is  made  of;  or  out  of  what  all  matter  is  formed.  Is  it 
eternity?  Is  it  nothing?  Is  it  non-existence?  All,  all  is  of  God.  To 
create  is  the  first  copy,  the  first  production.  Before^  that  we  find 
nothing  but  God.     Eternity  is  liis  habitation,  Is.  57:15. 

The  angels  in  Scripture  are  mentioned  as  in  the  masculine  gender, 
but  it  is  figuratively  ascribed.  They  have  no  gender;  cannot  multi- 
ply themselves,    Luke   20:5]5-8G.     Their  number  has  never   been  in^ 

creased  from  the  first.  ,  i       i  •  i 

The  next  step  in  Creation  was  to  bring  forth  these  worlds  which  we 
see.  The  Scriptures  declare  that  the  Son  of  God  and  the  angels  ex- 
isted before  the  Creation  we  now  speak  of,  and  that  the  Spirit  of  God 
took  part  in  that  Creation.  Then  before  time  was,  there  ^vas  Deity, 
Heaven  and  Holy  Ans-els.  They  teach  that  God  created  all  things— 
in  this  state  of  being-by  Jesus  Christ-then  in  His  pui;ely  Spiritual, 
Divine  nature,  and  that  in  Him  all  things  consist,  Col.  1  :lo-17,  Heb. 
1  -2      He  was  therefore  the  chief  actor  in  what  we  call  Creation. 

This  brought  to  Him  a  great  name  throughout  all  Heaven.  It 
brought,  too,  great  wealth  to  the  throne  of  God.  And  to  the  Son  of 
God  it  brought  riches  of  glory,  2  Cor.  8  :9.  Lucifer,  one  of  the  bright- 
est, and  one  of  the  highest  in  rank,  of  the  angels,  seeing  all  this 
envied  the  Son  of  God,  and  gave  way  to  an  unholy  ambition  which 
polluted  his  whole  nature  as  an  eating  canker  doth  corrupt,  2  inn. 
2-17.  He  aspired  to  independence  ;  he  coveted  dominion  He  said  : 
"I  will  sit  up  on  the  sides  of  the  north;  I  will  be  equal  to  the  Most 

"nVs^sinlil^^Lt  that  the  most  of^  tl^  evils  tliat  J^aye  afflict^ 

mankind  have  been  hatched  at,  the  north  Jf  •  ^  ^^^^  '  L.dt  that 
The  reader  will  think  of  the  Vandals  and  other  northern  hordes  that 
b  ^e  d  ^Roman  civilization.  And  now  ariseth  moral  f -^kness  at 
the  north,  to  spread  over  otherwise  happy  lands ;  ^nttbe  bright  shm- 
ing  of  the  true  Gospel  light  at  the  south  shall  rep^l  it;  it  shall  not 
settle  upon  her  happy  shores: 


r 


c 


50. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


For  there  the  truth  shall  live  and  shine, 
Blessing  all  human  kind. 

Lucifer's  fall  was  the  beginning  of  evil ;  neither  was  the  Creator 
responsible  for  it.  At  least  three  of  the  inspired  writers  speak  of  that, 
the  first  of  all  sins,  and  of  its  results;  and  it  is  certainly  true.  And 
shall  we  wonder  that  sin  entered  Eden  when  it  had  already  had  a 
higher  source — nearer  the  throne  of  God  itself?  In  the  Gospel  of 
John  8:44  we  read  of  the  original  lusts  of  the  devil,  and  that  is  in 
close  agreement  with  1  Tim.  6:10.  And  in  1  John  8:8,  it  is  stated 
"the  devil  sinneth  from  the  beginning.  Then  that  was  the  origin  of 
all  evil.  This  was  known  as  far  back  as  the  days  Job;  for  there  it  is 
said  :     "His  angels  He  charged  with  folly."  4  :18. 

"The  love  of  money  is  the  root  of  all  evil."     Of  course   there   was 
no  material  money  in  Heaven,  but  money  stands  for  wealth ;  it  repre- 
sents prosperity;  it  brings  honor,  power  and  dominion,  more  or  less; 
i    these  are  the  things  Lucifer  lusted  for.     Among  men,  at  least,  it  has 
^l  in  it  more  QJcbU.,  the  thing  Lucifer  coveted.     And   the   love  of   it,  or 
Ithat  which  it  stands  for  was  the  first  root  out  of  which  all  other  evils 
have  since  grown. 

Lucifor  raised  a  rebellion,  which  brought  on  a  state  of  things  com- 
parable to  war  among  men,  2  Pet.  2 :4,  Jude  sixth  verse.  As  it  is  writ- 
ten, "there  was  war  in  Heaven."  And  Lucifer,  now  called  Satan,  the 
adversary  and  the  devil,  and  his  host  were  cast  out.  Hence  it  is  said, 
"woe  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  for  the  devil  has  come  down 
unto  you,"  Rev.  12:12.  Doubtless  the  Revelator  had  this  scene  in 
mind  when  he  wrote  that  which  should  have  a  parallel  with  it  in  its 
fulfillment.  This  scene  in  Heaven  occurred  soon  after  the  creation 
of  this  world,  but  before  sin  entered  it.  Of  course  there  were  no  "in- 
habitants of  earth"  then  except  Adam  an  Eve,  but  it  was  a  prophetic 
warning  to  them  and  their  posterity.  Satan  hastened  on  to  this 
world  to  attack  the  Son  of  God  in  this  part  of  His  vast  dominions. 
In  tempting  Adam  and  Eve  to  sin,  his  intention  was  to  bring  all  the 
displeasure  upon  the  Son  of  God  he  could,  as  well  as  to  do  all  the 
mischief  to  those  he  found  to  be  happy  that  he  could ;  for  that  is  all 
the  pleasure  he  has  had  since  his  dreadful  fall. 

And  he  hastened  the  more  for  fear  his  time  should  be  limited;  that 
as  he  had  been  cast  out  of  Heaven  he  might  be  cast  out  of  this  world 
.     too.     He  was,  and  is  yet,  a  subtle  diplomat. 

The  next  step  in  Creation  was  to  provide  territory  for  those  who 
now  had  to  be  banished  from  Heaven.  The  Lord  had  not  prepared 
for  this  event,  for  He  never  does  anything  before  the  time,  but  every- 
thmg  at  the  right  time.  It  was  necessary  now,  but  not  before,  to 
create  what  in  His  government  is  called  Hell. 

He  went  outside  of  all  existing  creation  to  make  space  for  it.  And 
It  was  so  fixed  that  none  of  them  could  ever  get  back  to  Heaven. 
l.uke  10:26  But  they  are  permitted  to  have  access  to  us  in  this 
.  world;  yet  Hell  is  not  accessible  to  any  human  beings,  unless  they 
hrst  as  it  were,  evolve  themselves  into  devils ;  for  it  was  made  for  the 
devil  and  his  angels."     Matt.  25  :41. 

An  astronomical  calculation  says :     "Had   Adam  and   Eve  started 


/ 


i 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


5i. 


o 


\ 


(  l\ 


on  a  railway  to  go  from  Neptune  to  the  sun-,  at  the  rate  of  fifty  miles 
an  hour,  they  would  not  yet  have  arrived  there,  for  this  planet,  at  the 
above  rate,  is  more  than  6,0(X)  years  from  the  center  of  our  system ;  f  ^ 
yet  when  the  angel  Gabriel  was  dispatched  from  Heaven  to  the  pro- 
phet Daniel  in  Babylon,  to  inform  him  of  the  happy  success  of  his 
fasting  and  prayer,  he  covered  the  distance  from  Heaven  to  earth  in 
six  hours'  flight.  That  is  supposing  that  Daniel  began  his  prayer  at 
nine  o'clock  A.  M.,  the  time  of  the  morning  sacrifice,  which  is  proba- 
ble, and  the  angel  began  his  flight  as  soon,  as  he  informs  Daniel,  ' 
9:23,  and  reached  him  about  the  time  of  the  evening  oblation,  at  8 
o'clock  P.  M.  of  the  same  day.  So  with  all  of  our  modern  improve- 
ments, we  have  not  near  equaled  angelic  speed.  If  the  Almighty 
wanted  to  marshal  the  armies  of  the  skies.  He  could  speed  them  forth 
far  more  rapidly  than  any  earthly  army  can  be  moved  today. 

So  the  great  distances  between  us  and  the  remotest  stars  could  be 
quickly  crossed  by  angel  wings.  And  it  seems  it  would  be  a  real  treat 
to  a  soul  unfettered  to  mount  aloft  and  visit  them,  to  say  nothing  of 
the  grand  centre  of  all,  the  home  of  the  Blest.  Yet  none  can  pass 
from  Heaven  to  Hell. 

Hell  is  outside  all  the  lighted  pQ^s  of  Creation.  No  moon,  nor  (a  'V 
star,  nor  sun,  ever  shines  upon  it.  Neither  the  light  of  a  moment's 
hope  of  escaping  thence  ever  cheers  any  of  those  regions  of  despair ; 
nor  is  any  good  news  ever  proclaimed  there.  Heaven  has  nothing  to 
offer  them.  It  was  a  pity  to  see  such  a  despairing  fall;  but  the 
greater  the  previous  hight,  the  more  painful  is  the  fall. 

It  is  essentially  a  world  of  darkness.  One  of  its  great  divisions  is 
called  the  Lake  of  fire.  Its  depth  is  shallow,  however,  seldom  as 
much  as  five  feet ;  but  its  dimensions  of  surface  are  exceeding  great. 
But  the  unmeasured  darkness  above  it  is  so  great  that  the  glow  of 
that  fire  rises  but  a  little  above  the  lighted  surface ;  and  so  thick  is 
the  wretched  darkness  all  around  its  shores  that  the  glow  of  the  burn- 
ing lake  repels  it  but  a  little ;  so  an  unfortunate  traveler  lost  in  that 
country  might  get  quite  to  its  verge  before  he  would  know  it. 

Its  next  great  division  is  called  the  abyss,  or  the  bottomless  pit. 
This  has  neither  light  nor  fire,  but  a  plenty  of  painful  smoke  from 
the  lake  that  burns  with  fire  and  brimstone.  It  is  much  like  an  old, 
dark  ocean  bed  wiiose  waters  had  deserted  it.  All  the  rest  of  this 
dreadful  world — the  unlimited  dismal,  black  regions,  stretching  out 
all  over  its  northern  bounds — is  called  outer  darkness.  It  takes  all  of 
these  to  make  the  one  awful  hell  of  the  Bible.  For  there  we  read  some 
are  cast  into  outer  darkness.  Matt.  22:18,  that  some  are  cast  into  the 
bottomless  pit.  Rev.  20:8,  while  others  shall  have  their  part  in  the 
lake  that  burneth  with  fire  and  brimstone,  Rev.  21 :8.  These  all  have 
damnation;  yet  some  have  greater  damnation,  Mark  12:40.  Some 
blackness  of  darkness,  some  smoke  of  torment,  some  flames  of  tor- 
ment; while  all  are  punished,  who  have  the  terrible  calamity  to  their 
immortality  to  find  themselves  there,  with  eternal  damnation,  accord- 
ing as  their  deeds  have  been. 

Some  think  these  are  figures  to  represent  severe  sufferings,  but  that 
could  not  relieve  the  dreadful  situation  at  all,  for  the  types  are  always 
less  than  their  antitypes.     Some,  too,  think  Heaven  is  a  state,  rather 


52. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


I 


than  a  place.     It  occurs  to  me  that  it  is  a  most  blessed  place  of  hap 
hiness,  and   to   enjoy   it,  we  must   have   the  state  of   happiness   in 
ourselves. 

Whether  those  Spiritual  worlds  revolve  or  not,  we  are  not  informed. 
They  are  invisible  to  our  natural  sij^dit;  and  not  less  so  with  all  of 
man's  artificial  helps.  Hell  is  so  fussy,  so  uprorious,  so  out  of  har- 
mony with  all  other  Creation,  that  it  has  no  other  world  to  form  a 
system  with  it;  yet  there  may  be  some  influence  that  causes  it  to 
revolve.  As  every  ^^'•overnment  carries  its  prisons  alonj^  with  it,  so  may 
hell  revolve,  in  some  way,  alonir  with  revolvinjj:  ('reation — in  the  dis- 
tant outside  darkness.  St.  John,  in  speakin.j,'  of  the  Xew  Jerusalem, 
says,  ''the  City  lieth  foursquare."  If  it  "is  Heaven,  or  a  type  of 
Heaven,  it  may  be  that  Heaven  is  stationary,  and  the  only  world 
that  does  not  move;  and  all  the  rest  aremovin*,'  around  her;  and  the 
seat  of  the  orreat  Deity  in  the  center  of  ail  His  possessions. 

Hell  was  located  in  the  far  away  nortliern  rej^ions,  outside  of  all 
previous  (h-eation.  So  J.ucifer  ^ot  to  ''sit  in  the  sides  of  the  north," 
Is.  11^:12-];^,  but  not  as  he  expected.  So  all  who  oppose  the  Son  of 
(rod  will  ^ret  somethin<r  they  did  not  expect.  It  is  a  vain  thin<,'  for 
any  to  oppose  Him. 

So»ne  Ihi^ro  be  who  would,  if  they  could,  have  a  .i^'ospel  without  any 
penalties.  Hut  such  a  thin*,^  cannot  be:  for  there  inust  of  necessity 
be  an  opposite.  "The  law  is  the  strenj^'th  of  sin,"  1  Cor.  i;)'S)(y.  It 
enables,  like  cause  and  effect,  in  the  material  world,  sin  to  punish 
Itself,  and  virtue  to  reward  herself.  Yet  it  is  the  Lord  that  rewards 
every  <rood  deed,  and  punishes  every  bad  act.  But  so  surely,  and  so 
closely,  IS  misery  connected  with  every  act  of  sin,  that  sin  seems  to 
execute  its  own  penalty.  Now  one  may  enjoy  what  are  called  sinful 
pjeasures,  but  soon  the  pleasure  issjone,  not  to  return  aL'ain,  while  has 
come  the  misery,  and  that  to  stay.  And  happiness  is  so  linked  with 
every  virtuous  deed,  every  -ood  act,  that  virtue  api^ears  to  reward 
Herself  As  when  we  see  the  rain  fallin-  it  s<K'ms  to  rain  itself;  and 
when  It  IS  dry  it  appears  to  stay  dry  itself.  Yet  the  P>ible  ascribes 
both  to  the  Lord.  Anri  it  is  the  happier  to  accept  both  conditions  as 
from  His  providence.  Then  faith  is  thnnkful  to  Him  all  day  Ion-; 
and  daily,  and  ni-htly,  her  cup  is  full  of  blessin-.  We  have  set  forth 
uliat  1  understand  to  be  the  true  chain  of  bein<'. 

V\  hether  the  Lord  intended  for  Heaven  when'^  He  created  it,  to  be 
the  home  of  the  fait-hful  of  men  or  not,  we  are  not  informcnl.  Or 
whether  He  intended  for  hell  to  be  the  final  abode  of  the  unfaithful 
of  earth,  we  are  neither  informed.  Rut  we  see  from  the  Bible  He  is 
always  equal  to  every  emergency  that  may  arise.  So  it  was  e;isy  to 
resolve  those  places  into  these  uses  when  the  necessity  arose  in 
re-ard  to  the  final  disposition  of  the  human  familv.  Then,  oh  mv 
triend,  do  not  for  any  reason  doubt  that  there  is  a  hell,  both  misera- 
ble and  eternal;  and  a  Ht.aven  everlastin-  and  most  blessed  The 
Bible  t^eaches  us  there  are  both,  but  does  not  ,.ive  us  their  ems'. 

AS  the  Lord  had  spared  no  means  to  make  Heaven  Horious  and 
happy;  and  all  thin<,^s  in  this  world  beautiful  and  <mod  so  Henow 
spares  nothing,  t.  make  hell  hideous,  horrible,  unspeakablv  misera- 
ble.    As  the  happiness  of  Heaven  cannot    be  told  in    human  ^eech 


(I) 


THE  STORY  OF  QREATION. 


58. 


ii\ 


>     I    i 


so  none  can  tell  the  miseries  of  hell.  And  as  the  Scriptures  say,  it 
was  "prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  ani^els."  then  don't  let  us  intrude 
on  them. 

How  much  j^rander  and  more  beautiful,  is  that  system  of  all  life  set 
forth  in  the  holy  Scriptures  of  truth  than  any  invented  by  man  ! 

And  if  it  were  only  a  product  of  human  <?enius,  it  is  a  most  singular 
fact  that  these  Hebrews  could  excel  all  other  people  so  far — even  all 
the  moderns  as  well  as  the  ancients — on  this,  and  its  coji^nate 
subjects. 

It  does  seem  that  their  learned  masters,  the  E<:^yptians,  could  have 
excelled  those  they  had  had  in  slavery  for  more  than  two  centuries. 
But  so  far  as  the  world  ever  equalin<j-  it,  the  best  thouo^hts  anywhere 
else  to  be  found  on  this  subject  and  Its  collaterals,  are  but  fragments 
of  this,  the  true  copy, 

i:XD  OF  PART  ONE. 


54. 


THE  STOJtY  OF  CREATION. 


PART    TWO. 


CHAPTER  T. 

VAIilOUS  AKta-MFXTS  DRAWN    IROM  THK    XAXriHAL    WORLD,   TO    SKOAV    THK 
ACUfKK.MENT  OF  N'ATURi;   WITH   THK    HIKLK. 

I,^F  A  ina?i  win  think  ho  shall  soe  in  himself  something  that  responds 
I  to  the  teachincr  of  the  Bible.  For  instance,  we  take  our  food  into 
our  stomachs,  ^o  to  work,  business  or  pleasure,  and  think  but  little, 
or  nothin<;  about  it,  and  in  nature's  laboratory  it  is  converted  into 
blood,  which  throu^i^h  the  day  supports  our  systems,  and  at  nio-ht 
while  we  rest  and  sleep,  she  carries  on  her  work  within  our  systems 
to  replace  the  waste  we  sustained  by  our  day's  exercise,  especially  in 
our  osseous  systems.  Hence  the  sobriquet,  -sleep,  nature's  sweet 
restorer. 

And  a  correspondincT  work  is  carried  on  in  all  forms  of  sentient  life- 
and  in  plant  life  also.  They  all  haye  to  feed,  di-est,  rest  and  sleep' 
and  be  renewed  for  the  next  <hiy.  ' 

NoNv,  it  takes  twenty-four  hours  full  to  replenish  the  waste  we  sus- 
tarn  durm-  a  day's  exercise,  which  is  the  time  of  one  reyolution  of 
the  earth  on  her  axis.  It  takes  a  complete  turn  of  that  -reat  wheel 
rpvnlnr"'"  ^ '^^^^  •^ft'^^'t  jn  cyery  living  thing  on  her  surface;  which 
revolution  was  provided  for,  with  all  of  its  happy  results,  on  the 
lirstday  of  Creation;  and  its  correspondence  is  seen  in  all  nature 
!«.''••':..  V  .''\'^".  '^  '''  fortunate  for  us  to  have  the  night  and  her  ben- 
ehts   as  It  IS  to  have  the  day.     But  if  man  had  been   consulted   as  to 

and  no  niS  '^'  ^''*''^'  ^''  '''"""''^  '"''''"  '''•^'    ^'''^  "'^  ^^"   '^^^>'' 

J'\}}'j^ '''^^'''^'\P'^^^^^^^  great  truth    illustrated   also. 

As   t  red,    wasted  nature,  in    us   is  restored    by  the  night's  rest  and 
and  sleep   so  after  that  period  in  our  being,  cal  ed  the  lom^   sleep  o 
death,  will  come  forth  the  restored  body  in  Resurrection's  morn'^ 

d Js  hl^t^'T  """V'^^P'.""'"  f^^l^asnot  only  divided  our  lives  into 
da>s,  but  also  into  weeks,  months  and  years.  The  moon  naturally 
indicates  the  weeks  and  the  months;  the  earth  and  the  sun  ^e^"^ 
seasons  ilrXh^  ''  '1^^^''  f'^"^  ^^  '^'^^  '^'^^^'--^  indicate  the  ur 
^mai;  nkevJi!::."""'^^'"^  '''  '''''  ^'^^^^'^  ''^  --  ^^^^--'  --^  of    all 

win^hnn'r"  ''''  •'''r  '"''"^"-''^  ^^'^^^-''  ^^'^  ^'^  ^^'ork  days  of  the  week 
^^th  hands  or  minds  we  naturally  need  the  Sabbath  re^t  which  ww 
provided  tor  us  in  Creation's  hour.     All  who  have  wroild't  to    'h 

,o^"*'  '!.'**  '"'*'''*'''  ''•"*'''"  '"""l^in'l  also  for  their  soul's  benefit  Tn 
replace  the  waste  in  .norality,  a.ul  in  spirituality,  that  u/eth' .;  st^f 


^.1 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


Da. 


fered  during  the  week — and  the  more  by  contact  with  the  world. 

Oh  sweet  rest,  for  body,  intellect  and  spirit! 

So  we  =;ee  the  story  of  Creation  in  the  concrete  all  around  us,  and 
in  us,  today;  in  nature  and  in  ourselves  too,  plainly  writ;  and  that 
according  to  the  Bible  account  of  it.  In  the  voice  of  nature  today, 
as  in  Revelation,  her  proof  is  clear. 


CHAPTER   IT 


I  DAUKSAV  if  Adam  had  been  seen  by  any  of  us  in  the  day  of  his 
creation,  he  would  have  appeared  as  if  he  had  grown  to  mature  man- 
hood in  the  usual  way  for  mankind  to  grow.  The  same  would  no 
'doubt  have  been  true  also  of  the  majesti('  oak  ;  much  slower  in  devel- 
opment than  man,  and  twice  as  long  and  more  in  its  full  growth.  The 
expert  woodman  claims  when  he  fells  it  that  he  can  tell  how  old  the 
giant  is;  but  the  first  one,  doubtless,  in  the  day  of  its  creation  had 
as  many  layers  as  any  now  have  just  grown  to  maturity. 

Some  say  they  can  tell  the  age  of  a  cow  by  counting  the  rings  upon 
her  horns.  Then  if  she  has  no  horns,  and  this  is  their  only  rule,  her 
age  eludes  their  genius.  But  the  first  cow  at  her  creation  had  as 
many  external  marks  of  mature  age,  no  doubt,  as  any  just  now  grown 
to  maturity.  So  doubtless  the  earth  would  have  appeared  as  old  to 
Adam  at  first,  if  he  had  dug  into  her  ever  so  deep,  as  she  does  to  any 
of  his  sons  today.  Goethe  must  have  thought  so  when  he  thus 
addressed  the  Creator : 

"And  all  Th\'  works  su])lime  and  splendid. 
Are  bright  as  in  Creation's  earliest  hour." 

In  reality  no  man  knows  either  how  old,  or  how  young  are  the 
rocks.  They  wer^  not  present  at  their  creation.  Job  88:4;  nor  were 
they,  if  formed  since  the  creation  of  the  earth.  It  is  an  easy  matter 
to  say  this  has  been  co^aj  in  its  development  and  that  is  a  recent (^Q 
formation,  and  mean  by  recent  indefinite  ages,  but  to  know  the  truth 
as  to  the  age  of  either  is  a  very  different  thing. 

Neither  are  there  external  signs,  nor  internal  criteria,  by  which 
their  age  can  be  told  with  any  degree  of  accuracy,  and  cannot  furnish 
any  real  proof  of  their  own  age,  to  say  nothing  of  the  age  of  the 
earth.  The  Creator  could  as  easily  as  not,  give  the  earth  all  the 
internal  appearance  of  natural  development,  although  He  made  it 
instantantly  in  organism,  though  chaotic  at  first  for  the  time,  under 
stood  in  His  own  a(*count  of  it.  He  made  some  tilings  rough,  some 
smooth,  some  after  tiiis  manner,  some  after  that ;  ))ut  every  one  was 
perfect  when  He  pronounced  it  good.  The  method  of  Creation  was 
very  different  from  that  of  natural  development.  In  creating  the 
earth  He  could  make  it  quickly  in  that  form  it  would  require  long 
ages  of  natural  development  to  bring  it  too:  and  this  is  doubtless  just 
the  way  He  did  it. 

I  do  not  believe  the  stars  were  formed  by  the  accretion  of  nebulous 
matter  through  slow  processes,  but  in  the  day  of  their  Creation  were 
made  instantly  by  the  Word  of  (Jod.  And  on  the  fourth  day,  when 
they  passed  from' under  Creative  hands,  they  were  perfect. 


;j6. 


THE  STORY  OF  CKEATIOX 


It  matters  not  what  men  may  say,  especially  when  telling  things 
they  don't  understand,  they  may  be  mistaken,  but  God,  never.  Let 
Him  be  true — and  He  will —  if  it  makers  every  man  a  liar,  Rom.  8:4. 
Whether  He  lias  made,  or  caused  any  to  be  made,  by  any  means, 
since  the  ('reation,  I  do  not  claim  to  know.  I  believe,  however,  the 
latest  discovered  bv  men  are  as  old  as  the  rest. 

If  men  could  prove  by  observation,  or  other  means,  how  long  it 
would  take  a  rock  to  grow  to  a  certain  size,  it  would  be  no  proof  as  to 
the  age  of  tlu*  earth  ;  for  as  man,  she  was  adult  at  first.  1  believe 
when  she  was  in  chaos  she  carried  the  same  amount  of  matter  she 
does  now.  Farmers  have  noticed  large  rocks  on  their  farms  for  sixty 
years  or  more,  and  have  never  seen  any  difference  in  their  size.  So 
have  we  all  in  case  of  the  very  large  ones  we  so  often  pass.  Never 
could  we  appreciate  any  difference  in  their  size.  So,  I  think,  it  is 
with  many  of  those  inside  of  the  earth;  that  they  were  made  perfect 
at  first,  and  are  as  old  as  tlie  earth.  Without  and  within,  had  they 
been  examined  tlien,  they  would  have  looked  then  as  they  do  now, 
except  where  they  have  been  interfered  with  by  some  force  or  other. 
Where  fractures  are  exposed  to  the  air,  or  any  erosive  influences, 
they  will  show  signs  of  age;  but  it  only  has  reference  to — if  it  is  proof 
of  anything — the  age  of  the  fracture,  and  no{  to  the  age  of  the  rock; 
nor  of  the  earth  ;  and  no  man  has  sufficient  experience  to  tell  when 
the    fractures   occurred.     He    may   think    it    was   seismic,    volcanic 

a  or  aquatic,  but  he  does  not  know  the  date  of  that  catastrophe. 
Wt^  know  many  rocks  have  been  formed  since  the  earth  was  made. 
For  instance,  by  the  action  of  lime  water,  as  in  caves.  It  is  a  com- 
mon thing  in  what  are  called  limestone  countries.  I  have  myself 
seen  the  process  going  on;  have  seen  the  stalactites  forming  at  the 
top,  like  an  icicle  pending  from  the  roof,  and  its  fellow  rising  from 
tlie  floor  under  it.  Drop  by  drop,  did  the  water  j»trify — add  to  each 
as  regular  as  the  ticking  of  a  clock — till  by  and  by,  they  met  midway 
between  floor  and  ro»f;  and  on  and  on,  the  beautiful  process  went;  nor 
will  it  stop  unless  the  supply  of  water  fails  from  above.  On  the  sur- 
face of  the  very  beautiful  column  of  stone  thus  formed  are  grooves  of 
exquisite,  beautiful,  cunning  work,  as  if  done  and  finished  by  the 
hand  of  an  expert  artist. 

Caves  are  formerl,  for  the  most  part,  by  water;  usually  a  stream  of 
water  flows  through  it,  or  near  by,  at  least.  Some  are  formed  by  vol- 
canic influence.  Xo  one  could  calculate  how  long  those  columns  have 
been  forming.  He  could  not  tell  when  the  cave  itself  was  formed. 
And  it  would,  as  in  wet  seasons  the  flow  of  water  is  greater  than  in 
dry  seasons,  vary  accordingly.  Of  course  we  might  suppose  that 
nature  has  been  carrying  on  such  works  from  the  earliest  of  times. 
Many  wonderful  things  of  the  kind,  and  of  other  kinds  in  rock  and 
stone  does  sh.e,  all  of  which  should  cause  us  the  more  to  admire  the 
works  of  Him  that  maketh  all,  and  the  more  devoutly  worship  His 
holy  name.  And  many  rocks,  too,  are  formed,  of  course,  in  the  earth 
by  her  internal  heat,  and  by  the  cooling  of  the  lava  from  volcanoes 
on  the  surface  of  the  earth,  as  we  often  see  on  mountains  and  in  other 
places. 

We  know  the  natural  forces  are  at  work  doing  wonders   in  all    the 


; 


\ 


i 


\ 


•> 


■< 


(  w 


THE  STORY  OF  CRPJATION. 


57. 


earth — some  by  slow  processes,  some  formed  suddenly  by  afi  extraor- 
dinary exertion  of  the  natural  .forces ;  but  there  is  no  analogy  between 
these  acts  of  nature  now%  and  the  creation  of  all  things  at  first  direct- 
ly by  the  word  of  God.  Men  can  not  therefore  find  anything  in  the 
operations  of  nature  by  which  they  can  prove  the  age  of  the  earth. 
Her  beginning  was  not  according  to  any  law — or  set  of  laws — now  at 
work  in  her.  But  Creation  ^j^ave  existence  to  all  the  laws  of  nature, 
and  therefore  could  not  be  under  huvs  that  then,  or  before  then,  had 
no  existence. 

Miraculous  powder  was  before  natural  power.  The  natural  w^as  pro- 
duced by  the  miraculous.  The  miraculous  prepared  every  department 
in  nature  to  be  operated  by  natural  laws.  The  miraculous  must  have 
filled  the  place  of  all  power  until  each  department  in  all  nature  was 
entrusted  to  wiiat  we  call  the  laws  of  nature.  Xo  maciiinist  can  run 
his  machinery  until  every  part  is  adjusted  to  receive  its  part  of  the 
powder.  So  in  Creation,  everything  was  originated  by  miraculous 
power  and  controlled  by  it  until  the  natural  powers  were  so  adjusted 
to  fill  its  place,  as  they  have  since  done,  in  the  regular  course  of 
all  nature.  It  was  obliged  to  be  so  until  Creation  was  ready  to  be 
committed  to  what  are  called  the  natural  forceps  in  all  nature.  The 
miraculous  was  first;  then  that  w^hich  is  natural.  Everything  done 
in  Creation  was  on  the  order  of  miracles;  and  is  agreeable  with  His 
other  miraculous  w^orks  recorded  in  the  Bible.  By  studying  His  mira- 
cles as  recorded  in  the  Scriptures,  we  can  by  analogy  the  better  un- 
derstand His  w^orks  of  Creation.  We  are  in  nature,  in  the  flesh.  We 
can  therefore  see  only  in  part.  God  is  over  and  above  all  nature,  and 
sees  all  and  through  all — to  the  end  from  the  beginning.  It  is  best 
for  us,  therefore,  to  let  Him  guide  us. 

Suppose  we  should  say,  God  is  the  Soul  of  the  Universe.  That 
w^ould  not  be  a  fortunate  expression  ;  for  if  that  were  a  fact,  then  He 
made  His  own  body  and  put  His  soul  in  it;  and  the  transition  w^ould 
be  easy  to  this  :  Xature  is  God  ;  and  (iod  is  nature ;  and  there  is  no 
God  but  nature,  which  some  teach. 

According  to  the  Bible,  He  existed  in  all  the  fullness  of  His  being 
and  power  before  tlie  things  which  are  seen  by  us  were  created.  And 
the  making  of  these  added  nothing  to  God  Himself,  or  to  His  person- 
ality in  any  way.  He  existed  without  them,  and  would  the  same  if 
they  were  destroyed.  But  it  teaches  He  fills  Heaven  and  earth  ;  that 
He  has  all  power.  That  the  forces  of  nature  are  indebted  constantly 
to  His  powder  and  guided  by  His  wisdom  always.  Faith  grasps  these 
as  facts,  and  reason  has  to  admit  them,  yet  they  cannot  be  fully  com- 
prehended by  eitiiier.  Christ  says:  "The  earth  bringeth  forth  fruit 
of  herself."  But  He  did  not  mean  to  teach  that  she  would  do  much 
of  it  without  His  providence,  nor  very  much  without  man's  provi- 
dence either.  He  said  too,  ye  know  not  how%  Mark  4:27-28.  That  is 
a  fact ;   we  do  not  know^  how.  Faith  and  reason  both  have  to  admit  it. 

It  is  best  to  take  the  Bible  as  it  is  given  to  us.  Xo  man  can 
improve  its  statements.  And  w^hile  this  is  true  in  its  doctrines,  it  is 
also  true  in  its  moral  statements.  As  a  book  of  laws  it  must  needs 
state  all  crimes — sins  of  all  kinds — and  their  penalties:     Men  cannot 


58. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


refine  on  either  of  them,  in  doctrine  nor  morals.     None  of   man's 
attempts  have  ever  bettered  them.  They  are  perfect  in  themselves. 

CHAPTER  III. 

AcooRDiNG  to  the  statements  of  some  writers,  the  earth  must  have 
been  much  smaller  at  first  than  she  now  is ;  for  she  had  her  surface 
in  each  age  and  has  buried  every  one  in  succession,  until  now  at  such 
and  such  depths,  as  they  state.  Then  of  course  her  bulk  has  increased 
at  a  rojjular  and  sufficient  ratio  in  order  to  bury  up  all  that  was  on 
her  surface  at  each  of  these  different  ages.  And  if  they  are  right  she 
must  keep  on  at  the  same  ratio  of  increase ;  for  the  law,  to  be  con- 
sistent, must  continue  to  work  on  and  on  at  the  same  ratio.  If  it 
don't  do  that,  then  it  don't  prove  anything  at  all. 

Then  at  some  future  age  we  will  all  be  far  below  her  surface  and 
others  examining  our  skeletons — if  they  can  find  them — measuring 
our  bones;  guessing  how  long  since  we  perished,  and  at  what  period 
did  we  appear  on  the  earth.  Then  of  course,  if  their  theory  is  right, 
this  increase  would  be  equal  all  around  the  earth,  or  it  would  change 
her  form.  That  much  matter  gathered  on  her  surface  would  make 
her  that  much  larger  than  she  once  was ;  and  in  the  future  larger  than 
she  is  now.  There  must  be  an  error  somewhere,  for  science  finds  her 
circumference  less  now  than  it  was  formerly  stated.  Then  25,000 
miles;  now  28,754.  According  to  that  she  is  getting  smaller  instead 
of  larger.  They  had  just  as  well  confess  that  their  theory  of  rocks 
and  fossils  proves  nothing  as  to  her  age. 

If  she  increased  enough  to  do  thi?  where  these  things  are  found, 
then  by  the  same  criterion  she  did  where  they  are  not  found  just  as 
much.  Such  an  enlargement  of  her  bulk  would  have  made  variations 
in  the  length  of  her  days  and  of  her  years.  We  know  no  such  changes 
in  the  days  and  years  of  the  earth  have  taken  place ;  therefore,  the 
so-called  facts  of  geologists  as  to  the  very  remote  age  of  the  earth 
prove  nothing  as  to  her  age.  And  it  proves  that  she  is  neither  larger 
nor  smaller  than  she  was  in  that  day  when  her  Creator  pronounced  her 
good.  Whether  it  was  done  by  aquatic,  moulten,  acii^  or  electrical 
influences,  God  did  it  nevertheless,  as  is  stated  in  tlie  Bible,  by  His 
word.  It  was  just  as  easy  for  Him  to  do  it  that  way  as  to  first  create 
the  elements  and  cause  them  to  aggregate  together  by  slow  processes 
— and  far  more  consistent  with  what  He  has  shown  us  of  His  works. 
He  can  accomplish  a  result  by  any  agency  He  may  choose  for  His 
purposes  and  bring  it  to  its  highest  perfection  in  an  instant  as  well 
as  in  a  long  while.  All  agencies  are  but  his  servants.  In  creation 
His  power  was  exerted  after  a  miraculous  manner;  in  the  course  of 
nature  providentially. 

For  ages,  long  ages  past,  men  have  been  making  exact  calculations 
when  eclipses  would  occur.  Now  if  the  earth  had  been  getting  larger 
they  could  not  have  done  it.  Could  not  do  it  now  if  she  was  grow- 
ing. Nor  could  they  if  the  planets  were  growing.  Neither  could 
they  calculate  accurately  when  the  sun,  moon,  morning  and  eve- 
ning stars  would  rise  and  set.  The  development  theory  in  Crea- 
tion, or  nature,  is  unnatural,  is  unscientific,  is  unphilosophic.     When 


/ 


{ytM 


\ 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


59. 


( 


A 


(  ^ 


He  finished  at  the  close  of  the  sixth  day  we  had  a  complete  Creation. 
Ihe  history  of  astronomy  as  far  back  as  it  reaches  is  in  proof  of  it. 
So  IS  the  general  history  of  the  world,  human  experience  and  the 
observation  of  all  mankind. 

In  the  vision  of  the  dry  bones  of  the  valley  (Ez.  87,  10-14)  was  done 
a  work  that  would  have  required  about  thirty  years  by  ordinary  pro- 
cess; yet  done  in  an  instant.  Men  fully  grown,  trained,  armed  for 
battle  in  God's  fig*ht  against  all  wrong  in  thought,  belief  and  action 
among  men.  This  is  an  illustration  of  His  power  and  manner  of 
work. 

If  men  were  to  live  upon  the  earth  a  million  of  years  and  dig  into 
her  ever  so  deep  and  examine  her  within  and  without  she  would 
look  no  older  than  she  does  now.  In  ten  millions  of  years  hence,  it 
would  be  just  the  same.  Her  generations  pass  away  but  she  abideth 
ever.  (Eccl.  1:4),  "He  renews  the  face  of  the  earth,"  (Ps.  104:80). 
Without  and  within  she  holds  her  youthful  appearances.  You  can- 
not count  the  years  of  her  age  as  the  herdsman  does  the  age  of  a  cow. 
She  ever  appears  young.  Never  wearies,  never  shows  mortal  signs 
of  age ;  she  is  not  decaying,  is  not  wearing  out.  I  dare  say  if  an 
axman  had  felled  the  first  forest  trees  he  would  have  found  as  many 
streaks  from  the  bark  to  the  center  of  the  heart  as  he  does  now  in 
any  of  the  same  species  that  have  silently  come  to  perfect  maturity. 
And  on  examination  it  would  have  been  so  with  the  cow.  And  just 
so  with  the  horse  in  all  the  farrier  finds  in  the  teeth  of  any  one 
now  just  grown  to  adult  age.  It  was  so  with  everything  else.  They 
were  all  adult  in  all  adult  characteristics  in  the  hour  of  their  creation, 
or  quickly  came  to  it.  And  so,  too,  with  the  earth.  He  treated  all 
alike.     She  and  all  else  were  finished  in  six  days. 

The  earth  must  have  been  adult  at  first  or  she  was  out  of  harmony 
witb  everything  that  was  created  out  of  her ;  and  all  that  was  placed 
upon  her,  and  with  the  whole  system  with  which  she  was  connected. 
Now  we  know  that  all  nature  is  in  harmony  in  her  regular  state, 
therefore,  the  earth,  as  everything  else,  was  fully  adult  when  she 
was  put  into  her  system  of  adult  beings.  She  has  held  her  own  until 
now.  Appears  neither  older  nor  younger  than  she  did  then.  Nor 
larger  nor  smaller  than  when  Creation  was  finished.  I  am  willing  to 
excuse  that  mistake  made  in  calculating  her  circumference;  they 
have  done  well  to  get  it  as  correctly  as  they  have.  I  thank  the  Lord 
for  all  the  truth  they  have  found,  and  shall  be  grateful  if  science  will 
be  fair  enough  to  correct  all  other  mistakes  she  makes.  If  they  were 
correct  both  first  and  last,  she  might  get  too  small  for  us  after  a  while. 

But  I  believe  if  he  were  to  create  another  in  her  place  today,  she 
would  look  as  old  in  her  internal  structure,  except  where  she  had 
been  interfered  with  in  some  way  or  other,  as  this  one  does  now.  He 
could  do  it  after  that  fashion  quicker  than  they  can  count  the  ages, 
they  say,  she  has  already  come  through  necessary,  they  say,  to  bring 
her  to  her  present  condition.  That's  only  their  judgment;  not  His. 
He  is  not  a  man  that  you  may  follow  Him  by  counting  the  strokes  of 
His  hand.  He  can  accomplish  a  complex  work  at  a  single  stroke  having 
in  itself  a  million  of  strokes,  as  it  were,  lick  by  lick,  stroke  by  stroke. 
He  can  do  more  at  a  single  stroke  than  all  men  can  ever  do ;  all  done 


ft^'^T?^ 


60. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


at  once  by  his  infinite  skill  which  no  man  can  ""^^^1  and  to  m  in  s 
wisdom  it  seems  as  if  it  had  passed  '  hrou^'h  many  staffes  of  prog.css 
stretching  throusli  periods  of  time  indehnite.  "Lo,  these  are  part« 
of  His  ways;  but  the  thunder  of  His  p.>wer  who  can  understa™!^ 
(Job  2G:14).  You  cannot  by  st-archin-  find  out  the  Alm.f,'hty  to  pe.- 
fect'on.  (Job  11 :7).  The  same  is  true  of  His  worlc.  I"  regard  to 
them  like  himself  they  are  above  our  comprehension.     (Etcl.  i^f-')- 

We  should  duly  admire  them,  (Rom.  11  :*5),  'V:''/''r'''V.Xmore 
find  tliem  commensurate  with  His  character  as  (rod ;  should  the  more 
devoutly  worship  Him  through  them  than  otlierwise. 


/ 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


61. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

(IKOLOGISTS  claim  to  have  -one  down  in  the  investij^ation  of  the 
earth's  internal  structure  to  wliat  is  called  the  azoic  rocks ;  so-called 
because  they  are  anterior  to  any  forms  of  organized  life ;  either  anima 
or  vegetable.  The  Algonkian  period  comes  between  the  Archaean  and 
the  Cambrian  in  some  of  the  works  on  geology  and  is  the  lower  part 
next  above  the  Azoic.  Some  geologists  claim  to  have  found  some 
remains  of  organic  life  in  these  rocks  alfording  they  say  strong  prob- 
ability that  th(H-e  mav  yet  be  found  remains  of  organic  life  in  the 
Azoic  rocks.  Investigation  will  find,  so  I  believe,  if  it  is  to  be 
depended  upon  at  ail,  that  the  earth  has  never  had  but  one  physical 
aire  and  that  all  of  her  time  since  the  third  day  of  Creation  has  been 
occupied  by  organic  life. 

According  to  the  stated  thickness  of  their  different  divisions  from 
the  surface^down  to  the  azoic  rocks,  four  and  a  half  miles  would  be  a 
low  average  depth.  Then,  if  their  theory  is  correct,  the  earth  has 
grown  that  much  all  over  her  surface  since  the  formation  of  the 
azoic  rocks.  Think  of  a  piece  of  machinery  with  one  wheel  ever 
growing  larger  and  larger;  don't  any  man  know  that  it  would  be 
obliged'^to  get  out  of  lix  !  That  it  would  ultimately  fail !  Or  think 
of  a'piece  of  machinery  with  every  wheel  in  it  ever  growing  larger 
and  larger  at  the  same  ratio  of  development.  Don't  any  man  know 
that  it  would  be  obliged  to  get  out  of  fix?  That  every  space  between 
the  wheels  would  be  blocked  up  by  and  by  !  If  the  earth  grows,  then, 
by  analogy,  every  sphere  in  her  system  grows  likewise. 

It  is  necessary  for  the  spaces  between  the  spheres  in  the  universe 
to  be  kept  open  as  they  tu-e,  and  have  ever  been  from  the  beginning, 
of  the  same  width  perpetually.  If  they  could  by  growth,  or  mis- 
placement, get  closer  together  it  would  be  a  calamity  to  the  whole. 
Therefore,  to  suppose  she  ever  grew  at  all  is  unscientific,  unphilo- 
sopical.  When  we  say  a  baby  we  don't  mean  a  man.  Man  and 
woman  then  mean  maturity.  So  did  the  word  earth  at  first,  and 
always,  mean  a  grown  earth.  So  did  sun,  moon  and  stars.  And  all 
things  else.  Fully  developed  as  they  are  now.  Have  never  grown 
any  since.  Nor  does  any  machinist  ever  put  in  new  wheels  while  the 
machinery  is  running.  There  is  no  account  of  the  Creator  ever  stop- 
ping the  motion  of  our  solar  system  for  it  to  receive  any  new  spheres. 
He  certainly  put  them  all  in  at  once,  although  it  was  a  long  time  before 


t 


i 


(ly 


t 


h 


astronomers  discovered  some  of   the  last  known ;  and   they   deserve 
much  credit  for  ever  finding  them  at  all. 

I  have  never  read  of  but  one  world  that  grew  after  its  finished 
creation,  and  that  was  hell.  Is.  r):14.  For  some  reason  or  other,  she 
was  allowed  to  enlarge  herself.  I  suppose  the  immigration  there  was 
so  great  that  she  wanted  more  room.  That  is  the  only  one  of  her 
petitions  ever  granted,  except  when  Job  was  sorely  tried  bv  Satan. 
Job  2  :8. 

We  would  suppose  that  basic  rocks,  and  the  bases  of  all  mineral 
substances,  and  of  all  metallic  substances,  had  been  created  with  the 
earth  at  first.  And  here,  we  may  say,  are  rocks  that  have  been 
formed  since,  for  they  show  that  they  were  formed  by  forces  now  at 
work  in  the  earth.  All  very  true,  no  doubt ;  and  here  are  some  called 
azoid jocks,  put  there,  no  doubt,  by  the  Almighty,  in  the  day  when 
the  earth  was  created.  Indeed,  it  would  be  a  singular  fact*  if  she 
should  condense  from  chaos,  without  forming  any  rocks.  And  a  sin- 
gular fact,  too,  if  when  the  land  emerged  out  of  the  water  there  were 
no  ro(;ks  on  the  surface.  And  the  fact  that  there  are  no  organic  re- 
mains in  the  rocks  then  formed  is  in  proof  of  the  Bible  account  of 
Creation.  For  up  to  that  time  there  had  been  no  animals,  nor  plants 
of  any  kind  created.  And  of  course  those  rocks,  whether  igneous  or 
aquatic,  could  not  embrace  any  forms  of  organic  life.  According  to 
Scripture,  they  were  prior  to  all  life. 

But  some  writers  want  to  say  they  have  grown  by  slow  processes  to 
their  present  size,  and* allow  very  long,  indefinite  periods  of  time  for 
it,  whereas  there  are  many  rocks  that  show  no  sign  of  growth.  They 
may  have  layers  and  splits,  the  first  ever  since  their  creation,  no 
doubt,  the  second  by  some  cause  since.  The  Bible  speaks  of  rocks 
being  sent  by  the  Creator's  power;  and  the  most  solid  of  them  at 
that.     The  rocks,  therefore,  bear  witness  to  its  truth. 

There  are  no  people  on  earth  that  can  prove  that  their  stone  moun- 
tains have  grown  a  whit  since  they  were  first  known  to  man.  Now, 
if  they  had  grown  from  countless  ages,  why  should  they  stop?  How 
could  they  stop?  The  law-5  of  inanimate  nature  never  stop;  if  it  was 
a  law  before  for  them  to  grow,  they  will  keep  on.  That  law,  if  it 
exists,  or  ever  was,  will  not  become  inoperative.  If  such  a  thing  has 
worked  from  the  beginning,  it  is  at  work  now,  and  will  work  on-  ad- 
infinitum  and  ultimately  derange  our  whole  solar  system.  For  if  it 
is  a  natural  and  progressive  development,  as  they 
must  be  also  all  through  and  all  around  the  earth  all 
universal  it  is  not  all. 

Now,  let  us  suppose  that  all  these  things  are  not  all  over  the  earth 
alike,  and  it  cannot  be  proven  that  they  are,  but  are  only  in  some 
places,  and  were  buried  there  by  the  natural  effects  that  would  fol- 
low such  a  catastrophe  as  the  flood  of  Noah,  volcanic  and  other 
influences  that  have  prevailed  since  Creation.  That  could  be  without 
the  earth  being  any  larger  than  she  was  at  first.  The  fact  that  no 
remains  of  life  are  found  in  the  azoic  rocks,  shows  that  they  have 
not  grown  since  organic  life  has  prevailed  upon  the  earth,  or  they 
would  have  enclosed  some  as  well  as  did  others. 

A  certain  writer  savs:   '"The  ordinarv  rate  of  increase  of  the  mad- 


system,     ror  II  it 

y  claim   for  it,  it    \y 

dike,  for  it  is  not   ^[s 


62. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


repores,  according  to  J )ana,  is  about  an  inch  and  a  half  annually; 
and  as  their  branches  are  mueh  scattered,  this  will  not  exceed  half 
an  inch  in  thickness  of  tlie  whole  surface  covered  by  the  madrepore. 
Again,  in  consequence  of  their  porosity,  this  quantity  will  be 
reduced  to  three-ei<^hths  of  an  inch  of  compact  matter.  The  sands, 
too,  filling  up  tlie  destroyed  part  of  the  polyp  are  washed  out  by  the 
currents  in  the  great  depths  where  there  are  no  living  corals,  and  the 
surface  occupied  by  them  is  reduced  to  a  sixth  of  the  whole  coral 
line  region,  which  reduces  the  preceding  three-eighths  to  one-sixth. 
The  shells  and  other  organic  debris  will  probably  represent  a  fourth 
of  the  total  produce  in  relation  to  corals.  In  this  manner,  taking 
everything  into  account,  the  mean  increase  of  tne  reef  cannot  exceed 
the  eight ii  of  an  inch  annually.  According  to  this  calculation,  some 
reefs  which  are  not  less  than  2,U00  feet  thick  would  require  for  their 
formation  192, (MX)  years."  It  is  a  striking  coincidence,  if  we  leave 
out  all  of  his  diHluctions,  which  I  believe  is  tnore  correct,  in  order  to 
get  down  to  nature  on  the  subject,  and  Cah'ulate  it  at  the  rate  of  an 
inch  and  a  half  a  year,  it  will  take  exactly  (),n(H)  years  for  them  to  do 
it,  wliicli  is  not  at  all  contrary  to  Hible  chronology. 

Then  he  adds:  "It  is  necessary,  however,  to  add  that  in  favora- 
ble circumstances  the  increase  of  the  masses  of  coral  may  be  much 
more  rapid.  Mr.  Darwin  refers  to  a  ship  which,  having  been  wrecked 
in  the  Persian  gulf,  was  found,  after  having  been  submerged  only 
twenty  months,  to  be  covered  with  a  bed  of  coral  two  feet  in  thick- 
ness.'' Now  it  would  have  required  only  GOO  y^ars,  according  to  that 
rate,  to  have  formed  it  2,0(MJ  feet  thick,  which  is  the  greatest  thick- 
ness he  gives  for  any  of  the  beds. 

He  further  says  tliat :  ''He,  Mr.  Darwin  also  mentions  experiments 
made  on  the  coast  of  Afadagascar,  which  tend  to  prove  that  in  the 
space  of  six  months  certain  corals  increased  nearly  three  feet." 
According  to  that  rate  they  could  build  it  2,000  fe(M  thick  in  the 
space  of  three  hundred  and  thirty-one  .years  and  iiv(?  months.  And 
if  centuries  were  allowed  for  the  fuller  expcM'iment,  it  might  have  had 
all  the  reasons  embraced  in  the  whole  bed  for  reductions  mentioned 
in  his  calculation  n)ade  in  the  first  instance,  amounting  to  11)2,000 
years,  which,  without  any  reductions,  is  only  (>,000  years.  So  if 
these  little  creatures  are  witnesses,  their  testimony  does  not  contra- 
dict the  chronology  of  the  Bible. 

Suppose  a  man  should  try  to  calculate  time  by  the  wearing  of  a 
stream  of  water  over  a  rock  ;  he  could  not  -succeed  because  it  would 
not  be  uniform  all  through  time.  For  a  long  while  it  might  be  quite 
uniform,  but  when  the  water  came  to  softer  parts  of  the  rock  it  would 
wear  much  faster;  and  when  the  volume  should  be  increased  l)y 
rains,  melting  snow,  ice  and  freshets,  the  wear  even  of  hard  rock 
would  be  greatly  increased.  Neither  would  he  know  whether  it  had 
been  there  from  the  beginning  of  tinv,'  or  not.  Or  if  he  should  watch 
the  progress  of  petrifaction  going  on  in  a  cave,  which  is  regular,  yet 
is  by  no  means  uniform  in  its  increase;  one  begins  at  the  top  and 
another  opposite  it  at  the  bottom,  the  cme  growing  downward  the 
other  upward  until  they  unite  in  the  middle,  each  by  the  stony  ele- 
ments in  a  single  drop  of  carbonated  lime  water  petrifying.     As  the 


t 


A 


)     I    i 


THE  STORY  OF  (^EATION. 


08. 


stalactite  increases,  the  growth  will  be  more  rapid,  for  more  water 
trickles  down  over  its  surface,  leaving  its  stony  substance  to  petrify, 
while  its  other  elements  escape  ])y  evaporation.  He  could,  therefore, 
get  no  uniform  rule  by  which  to  calculate  the  increase,  and  conse- 
quently could  not  succeed  in  computing  time  by  that  process. 

If  the  earth  had  not  had  the  appearance  as  if  she  grew  to  adult 
age,  for  her  according  to  her  bulk,  her  appearance  would  not  have 
been  in  harmony  with  that  system  of  her  own  nature  with  which  she 
is  connected.  The  trees  from  out  of  her  made  miraculously  at  first, 
would  have  all  the  signs  of  growth  as  these  do  that  have  grown  to 
adult  age. 

As  the  wine  the  Creator  made  miraculously  at  the  wedding  (John 
2:1-11)  out   of   water   without    its    previous  course  of   years  in    the 
growth  of  the  vine   and  for  this   last   year   in   the   saccharine   juice 
months  in  coming  to  nuiturity  in   the  grape   for  wine;    than   which 
none  was  better.     No  one,  not  even  the  governor,  could  tell   it   from 
the  best  that  had  gone  through  the  regular  process  of  wine  making. 
It  was  ready  for  use  as  soon  as  the  water  could  be  put  in  and  drawn 
out  of  the  vessels.     So  he  made  everj'thing  in  the  day  of  its  creation. 
(Quickly,  but  it  appeared  as  if  it  had  grown  to  its  perfection  as  every- 
thing of  its  kind  does  now.     As  children   resemble  their  mothers,  as 
every  thing  else  had  the  appearance  as  if  it   had  grown   through   the 
time  alloted  to  each  in  the  course   the  Creat<n'  designed   for  c.ich    in 
its  regular  appointed  way  to  come  to  its  full  form  and  bulk.    So  with 
animals  of  all  kinds;  so  with  Adam  and  Eve  themselves,  so  it   must 
be,  too,  with  the  earth,  to  so  appear  as  she  is  found  today,  or  else  she 
was  our  of  harmony  with  every  form  of  life  that  had  been  taken  out 
of  her.     Her  surface    and   internal   structure   must  harmonize  with 
every  form  of  life  taken  out  of  her.     Herein  we  may  get  a  rule  per- 
haps by  which  we  may  calculate  the  number  of  years  she  has  existed. 
C'Ompare  her  bulk  with  an  average  oak  tree  when  come  to  maturity 
and  the   time   it  re([uires  to  acquire  its    bulk.     Then   by  the  same  , 
ratio  calculate,  if  you  can,  how  long  it  would  take  inanimate  matter 
to  increase  to  the  size  of  the  earth.     And  by  the  same  rule  of  propor- 
tion she  will  appear,  perhaps,  as  if  it  took  her  that  long  to  get  her 
growth  as  it  did  an  oak  tree  in  proportion  to  its  size,  weight  and  ratio 
of  Ln'owth.     A^'hereas,  she  did  not,   but  as  was  the  first  oak,  made 
fully  grown  at  first,     ^^'e  have  none  of  the  first  trees  or  animals  to 
examine;  the  rocks  of  Creation  and  the  earth  only  of  all   terrestrial 
things  remain.     She  has  in  her  the  marks  of  her  Creation,  and  when 
they  are  known,  and  the  Bible  as  well,  they  will  not  be  found  to  be 
contrary  to  either.     But  by  what  has  l)een  offered  above,  there  can 
be  no  just  comparison  to  base  a   calculation   upon,  unless  we  knew 
how  large  was  the  body  when   it  first  received   the   name   earth   and 
began  to  grow;  as  the  acorn  and  the  germ  from  the  acorn. 

We  have  no  account  when  she  was  first  called  earth  older  tjian  that 
found  in  Oenesis,  and  I  believe  she  was  as  large  then  as  now,  and 
looked,  neither  within  and  without ,  older  nor  younger  than  she  does 
today.  Men  speak  of  old  countries  and  new  countries,  but  one  part 
of  the  earth  is  as  old  as  another.  Farmers  say  this  is  new  land,  that 
is  old,  but  both  are  of  equal  age.     The  first  of  all  things  on  earth — 


64. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


plants  and  every  living  creature — were  made  capable  of  parentage 
and  had  the  necessary  signs  of  age  without  and  within,  both  as  do 
the  fully  grown  today.  The  earth  had  to  be  so  in  appearance  to 
agree  with  all  the  rest.  It  is  reasonable  that  she  would  appear  at 
first  like  the  forest  tree,  having  in  herself  all  the  signs  in  proportion 
to  her  bulk,  hut  not  like  a  tree  would  she  appear  any  older  than  she 
did  at  first;  for  she  is  not  to  decay,  not  to  produce  another  like  her- 
self to  take  her  place;  hence  she  never  looks  any  older  at  one  time 
than  another.  We  pass  away,  but  she  remains,  will  ever  look  young 
to  her  final  end. 

In  counting  the  years  of  the  cow,  the  horse,  the  deer,  we  have 
learned  by  experience  and  observation  a  starting  point;  but  we  do 
not  know  what  the  size  nor  the  age  of  that  nucleus  of  matter  that 
first  started  the  earth,  if  she  ever  grew  at  all,  or  was  so  formed.  If 
we  had  that,  it  would  be  impossible,  as  it  is  any  way,  for  us  to  get 
the  exact  soliditv,  for  we  do  not  know  how  much  hollowness  mav  be 
m  her.  The  unevenness  of  her  surface  of  dry  land  is  pretty  well 
balanced  by  the  depths  of  her  waters.  So  when  the  Creator  broke 
up  her  surface  on  the  third  day,  so  as  to  make  seas  and  dry  land,  He 
left  her  bulk  and  weight  just  the  same  as  before.  And  while  she 
gives  material  to  make  everything  that  is  on  her,  that  grows  out  of 
her,  too,  she  gets  as  much  back  when  they  all  return  to  her  again  as 
they  took.  Thus  she  holds  her  own  ;  from  age  to  age  she  is  the  same. 
If  she  grew,  there  is  no  rule  by  which  we  can  calculate  how  long  it 
took  her  to  get  grown,  or  determine  when  she  would  get  grown."  If 
a  law  of  growth  was  put  in  her  she  will  never  of  herself  stop  growing. 

The  Creation  of  bread  and  flesh  by  the  Son  of  (lod  while  on  earth, 
Math.  14:15-21,  is  a  wonderful  work,  but  what  makes  it  appear  so 
wonderful  is  the  fact  of  its  unconunonness.  It  is  not  more  mysteri- 
ous than  that  bread  and  Hesh  he  gives  us  every  day.  It  would  be 
just  as  easy  to  Him  to  feed  us  every  day  miraculously  as  to  do  it  the 
way  He  does,  for  He  does  it  any  how.  ''Your  Heavenlv  Father 
feedeth  them,"  Matt.  (>  :26. 

It  is  His  work  in  both  cases.  The  ordinary  process  is  for  the  bread 
to  be  produced  out  of  the  old  grain.  When  sown  it  groweth  we  know 
not  how,  Mark  4:2()-2().  First  the  blade,  then  the  stalk,  then  the 
gram,  then  the  bread;  in  about  six  months.  But  here  it  was  done  in 
a  few  moments  of  time.  He  filled  the  place  of  the  plowman  sower 
reaper,  thresher,  grinder  and  baker.  That  bread  was  if  it  had  had 
all  the  process  from  sowing  to  baking.  Just  so  with  the  fish-  Ho 
tliere  and  then  made,  as  if  they  had  been  caught  out  of  Genesaret 
And  so  It  was  with  everything  he  created  on  earth  at  first,  and  the 
earth  herself,  too;  as  if  they  grew,  but  did  not. 

So  was  it  with  all  the  plagues  He  brought  upon  Pharoah.  The  rod 
changed  mto  a  serpent  was  an  animal  the  same  as  any  adult  of  the 
species  it  was  of.  The  Lord  did  not  produce  a  mere  sham  it  was  a 
real  serpent  as  if  it  had  grown  in  the  regular  wav.  If  it  had  been 
dissected  it  would  have  had  all  the  signs  of  growth  as  anv  full  crrown 
one  of  that  species.  The  water  of  the  Nile  is  changed  in^to  blo")d  at 
a  wave  of  Moses'  rod.  It  was  just  as  .perfect  blood  as  was  ever  elab- 
orated m  Pharoah's  system  by  the  digestion  and  assimilation  of  his 


/ 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


G;"). 


4 


> 


food.  He  caused  the  water  to  bring  forth  frogs  as  He  did  in  the  day 
of  Creation.  These  frogs  were  as  if  they  had  grown  from  ovum  Uy 
adult  age.  But  produced  in  an  instant  by  the  work  of  the  Lord. 
Just  so  with  the  lice  and  the  flies,  as  if  through  all  insect  stages  at 
once.  And  the  very  sore,  painful  boils,  came  to  a  head  at  once,  as  if 
they  had  been  a  full  week  in  forming.  And  that  darkness  was  like 
that  at  first  before  (Jod  said  "Let  there  be  light."  That  death  came 
to  its  consummation  in  a  midnight  hour,  as  if  sicl^ness  had  been  by 
degrees  doing  its  death  work.  (Ex.  8,  9,  10.)  So  the  Lord  created 
everything  on  the  day  of  their  Creation.  These  are  in  proof  of  those, 
"I,  the  Lord,  change  not."     (Mai.  8:()). 

No  doubt  the}^  all  showed  the  same  signs  of  growth  as  these  do  in 
our  midst  today ;  for  that  was  their  nature.  On  comparison  would 
have  been  just  alike.  Children  resemble  their  parents.  From  these 
we  see  what  were  those  sin|  and  its  effects  excepted.  Just  so  with 
the  earth;  it  would  necessarily  look  without  and  within  as  if  she  had 
grown  from  small  aggregations  of  atoms  of  matter,  by  natural  pro- 
fesses, to  her  present  bulk  and  form. 


CHAPTER  V. 


■\v  KXPKUT  geologists,  and  to  the  standard  of  nature  true,  had  dis- 
sected the  earth  on  the  third  day  of  Creation  they  doubtless  would 
have  found  in  her  all  the  signs  of  growth,  and  of  age,  that  can  be 
found  in  her  today.  If  you  could  ask  Adam  he  would  tell  you  the 
earth  did  not  look  a  bit  older  to  him  when  he  was  9JJ()  years  old  than 
it  did  at  first.  Or,  if  you  could  ask  Methuselah,  he  would  tell  you  it 
did  not  look  a  whit  older  to  him  when  he  was  900  years  old  than  she 
did  when  he  first  saw  her. 

Take  the  internal  structure  of  every  plant,  and  of  every  living  crea- 
ture, in  its  wonderful  mechanism  or  mystery  of  its  being;  those  that 
occupy  land  peculiarly  fitted  for  their  abode,  those  which  live  in  or 
about  water,  exactly  suited  to  their  element,  and  no  less  so  those 
that  float  aloft  in  the  atmosphere,  and  it  all  shows  a  i)ower  of  con- 
ception and  skill  in  execution  far  above  all  human  genius.  There'- 
fore,  nature  of  herself  could  not  have  done  it.  Again,  that  Divine 
Author  had  no  models  to  study,  to  imitate;  without  a  guide  in 
thought  and  action  He  produced  independently  on  His  own  original 
conceptions  and  designs  and  skill  in  execution,  all  that  we  a^e.^  It 
shows  there  is  a  (lod.  As  the  ins])ired  author  says,  '^I  am  wonder- 
fully made."  So  is  everything  else.  And  there  is  no  argument,  with 
any  show  of  reason,  that  can  i)e  made  against  the  teachings  of  the 
Bible. 

I  have  heard  of  some  who  made,  however,  this  suggestion  on  the 
making  of  man  :  ''If  the  shin  was  behind  instead  of  hc^'ore  it  would 
be  better."  But  they  don't  consider  that  one  of  the  main  things  for 
human  beings  to  do  is  to  kneel  before  their  Maker. 

It  would  be  as  unruitural  as  it  is  unscientific  to  suppose  that  the 
worlds  were  made  by  slow  process  of  development.  The  universe 
could   not  be  operated   upon  that   plan.     For  instance,   no  smaller 


^u 


60. 


THE  STORY  OF  CRKATIOX. 


body  than  tlie  sun  could  liave  at  any  timo  filled  his  place.  And  the 
same  is  true  of  the  eartli,  inoon,  planets  and  all  the  rest.  No  smaller 
ones  could  have  filh^d  their  places.  Jt  would  have  required  a  jjreater 
miracle  to  run  it  on  any  slow  development  theory  than  to  create  it  at 
first.  Xor  will  it  do  to  suppose  that  the  earth  alone  was  in  lon^]^ 
periods  of  development  to  acquire  her  present  bulk,  for  that  would 
defeat  the  operation  of  that  wliok^  system  of  which  she  is  a  oart. 
When  the  (/reator'finished  at  the  betjinnin^'  of  the  seventh  day  it  was 
complete;  we  had  then  a  finisiied  Creation,  as  we  had  a  complete 
redemption  when  ('hrist  said  on  the  cross,  ''It  is  finished." 

1  fail  to  see  how  any  practical  mind  could  conceive  of  a  slow  devel- 
opment theory  for  ('reation.  1  know  some  have  used  the  expression 
"Stardust."  I  don't  think  any  one  in  this  world  knows  anythin*^ 
about  star  dnst ;  they  can't  prove  that  they  have  ever  seen  dust  make 
a  permanent  star.  If  the  (creator,  himself,  is  now  formini"-  any  new 
worlds  they  inust  l)e  outside  of  existini,^  systems;  for  when  he  sets  a 
system  to  work  and  finishes  it,  it  is  coniplele.  I  know  some  have 
suirirrsted  a  nebulous  hypothesis  for  the  formation  of  the  universe, 
but  it  has  not  proven  to  be  triie;  it  supposes  that  our  solar  system 
was  a  lon^r  while  without  a  solid  body  in  all  its  space;  that  its  space 
y  ^  was  titj^'d  with  nebulous  matter:  that  that  matter  w\as  self-resolved 
into  the  sun,  and  by  its  revolutions  threw  off  enou<ih  to  form  the 
planets  in  our  system.  Kut  the  whole  idea  is  unscientific,  the 
thou«rht  of  it  unphilosophic,  for  without  revolvin*,'  bodies  we  have  no 
days  and  years.  Hence  we  know  nothing;  of  time  before  days  be«i:an. 
All  back  of  that  to  us,  as  to  duration,  was  blank  eternity,  and  mortal 
man  is  unable  to  penetrate  it.  Time,  I  understand,  be<?an  with  the 
first  day.  Mortals  can  not  .ijet  out  of  it,  no  more  before  it  than  after 
it.     Time  is  the  limitation  of  mortals. 

Hyou  will  take  time  to  think,  you  will  see  that  every  miracle  of 
Creation  performed  by  Moses  and  the  prophets  produced' the  creature 
m  its  highest  dej^ree  of  perfection  ;  as  the  froj^s,  lice,  flies  and  locusts 
in  Egypt.  The  Creator  did  these  things  by  Moses  as  He  made  every 
,.  thing  perfect  in  the  six  days  of  Creatioti.  'Mosesgave  out  the  mannli 
in  the  wilderness,  (John  G::i2).  The  (U-eator  formed  it  every  ni^^ht 
in  the  atmosphere,  and  it  was  sufficient  for  man's  full  nouriihmelit 
W  hen  Christ  was  on  earth  in  the  body  of  a  man  He  did  creative  work 
as  If  He  wished  to  show,  or  that  He  saw  it  would  become  necessary 
to  show,  that  the  Creator  had  not  become  extinct.  And  it  was  to 
prove  that  He  was  that  great  Creator,  now  dwelling  in  humanity 
And  as  He  was  Almighty  to  create,  so  He  was  Almighty  to  save 

Ihere  is  but  one  miracle  on  record  that  interfered  with  the  course 
of  nature ;  that  was  when  Joshua  commanded  the  sun  and   moon   to 
stand  still     (fod  gave  him  the  faith  to  positively  make  the  command 
and  caused  nature  to  obey.     It  was  the   voice  that  first  .nwe  them 
being,     rhey  all,  as  it  were,  know  their  Master's  voice  (Is    1  -8)  and 
•  never  refuse  prompt  obedience.     All  mankind  would  do  well  to  iV'irn 
superior  wisdom  from  them.    (Joshua  1U:12-K5).     But  it  did  no  dam 
age  to  nature.     It  did  not  cause  a  single  jostle  in   all  the  universe 
tl  ""7^^^^^^^''^''^'^  ''-'''''-  ^^'^  heathen,  too.     It   is  spoken  of  outside  of 


(  at 


TPIE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


67. 


m 


V 


When  a  deaf  man  was  healed  it  did  no  hurt  to  nature  anywhere; 
just  so  when  he  gave  sight  to  the  blind;  but  helped  her  in  both  by 
uioving  obstructions  out  of  her  way.  \Mien  a  dead  man  was  raised 
to  life  it  did  not  hurt  nature  at  all ;  it  only  robbed  deat h  of  a  victim 
for  a  while;  it  did  not  keep  the  sun  from  shining,  nor  the  earth  from 
movi-ng,  nor  the  wind  from  blowing,  nor  the  rain  from  falling.  When 
He  healed  the  lame  and  the  si(^k  He  helped  nature  back  to  her 
normal  condition  in  tiiese  cases. 

Why  not  object  to  sic^kness,  blindness,  deafness,  lameness  and 
death?  These  are  all  against  nature  and  ol)struct  her  course  as  far 
as  their  influences  go.  And  what  are  they  but  adjuncts  imposed  on 
nature  on  account  of  sin?  Miracles  are  for  the  uninformeil.  Intel- 
ligent persons  should  be  able  to  believe  without  them.  (ICor.  14:22.) 

A  miracle  is  a  triumph  over  that  which  obstructs  nature  in  such 
cases  as  healing,  etc.,  turning  her  loose  to  fill  her  course;  or,  is 
something  over  and  above  nature  in  her  ordinary  course.  In  both 
kinds  nature  obeys  the  will  of  her  author  as  she  usually  does  in  her 
ordinary  course.  For  instance,  in  a  miracle  of  healing  the  sick,  it  is 
suddenly  done  by  (Jod's  power  instead  of  gradually.  Feeding  the 
multitude  on  multiplied  bread  and  multi{)lied  fish,  ready  cooked,  was 
doing  on  the  spot  what  .fesus  is  commonly  doing  in  the  ordinary 
modes  to  furnish  the  world  with  that  daily  bread  for  which  He  leaches 
us  both  to  work  and  pray.  The  difference  is  only  methodical;  it  is 
the  same  author  in  both  cases.  In  a  miracle  He  causes  tiature  to  do 
quickly  what  she  usually  does  slowly;  and  it  is  remarkable  that  He 
wrought  on  the  nature  He  had  already  created  to  produce  miracu- 
lously all  forms  of  organized  life  in  the  day  each  was  created  and 
made.  The  would-be  defenders  of  nature  would  do  well  to  look  out 
for  themselves;   nature  is  in  no  danger. 

The  star  that  guided  the  astronomers  r)f  old  to  Bethlehem  I  do  not 
believe  was  a  star  drawn  athwart  for  that  purpose  and  afterwards 
returned  to  its  natural  orbit,  but  a  temporary  production,  by  mirac- 
lous  power,  called  in  prophecy  "His  star";  (Num.  2-1:  :17,  Maft.2:2). 
(rod  has  his  means  for  every  peculiar  condition  of  men  to  lead  them 
to  the  wisdom  of  salvation,  if  they  will  only  follow.  The  shepherds 
did  not  need  a  star,  angels  told  them.  No  doubt  they  had  seen 
angels  before,  and  could  receive  such  messages  without  any  skepti- 
cism, as  did  Zacharias,  Elizabeth  and  jVIary.  Simeon  knew  (xod's 
speech.  That  suited  his  pious  mind  and  heart.  A  dream  was  suffi- 
cient for  Joseph  and  for  Mary,  too,  afterward;  and  was  the  chosen 
means  for  Nebuchadnezzar's  salvation.  (Dan.  4  :J}7).  While  Saul  of 
Tarsus  needed  a  light  from  Heaven  and  the  voice  of  Jesus  (^/hrist. 
And  this  star  was  the  very  thing  for  these  Persian  astronomers. 

There  is  sufficient  divine  light  thrown  into  every  one's  work,  trade, 
art,  business  or  profession  to  k^ad  the  soul  of  each  to  salvation  if  they 
will  but  receive  and  follow  it.  Through  His  abundant  and  various 
means  He  adapts  Kimself  in  the  chances  of  salvation  to  every  human 
being.  The  Lord  is  so  good  to  us  all,  we  all  should  be  very  thankful 
to  Him.  In  calling  sinners  to  repentance;  in  calling  some  to  preach 
the  gospel.  He  comes  into  the  clime  of  each,  adapting  his  culling  t<?) 
the  peculiar  genius  and  habits  of  mind  in  each.     Somelimes,  eomiujS: 


-V^^v^^ 


V.-.*x 


08. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


down  even  to  the  very  weakness  that  inlieres  to  one's  environments. 
Some  require  more  of  the  supernatural  than  otliers.  Some,  hke 
Gideon,  require  occuhir  demonstrations.  W'liile  in  others  a  gentle 
move  of  the  Spirit  on  the  heart  is  sulTieient. 

As  we  see  from  the  Bihle  in  some  instances.  His  workmen  were  to 
the  manner  horn;"  as  Jeremiah,  Cyrus,  John  the  ikvptist  and  M. 
Paul.  So  it  may  be  in  every  ease  where  tlu^  -Lord  of  all  wants  a 
su})ieet  for  some  special  work ;  He  tits  him  first  with  natural  gifts  for 
it  before  he  is  born,  the!i  in  due  time  makes  known  to  him  his  eall- 
iwr  and  qualities  him  with  all  else  he  needs. 

There  i^  nothin<'  that  mankind  need  done  for  them,  Init  He  pre- 
pares a  genius  for  it.  Hence  we  see  in  all  nationalities  wonderful 
inventive  and  artistic  skill.  Others  may  be  astonished  at  the  won- 
derful skill  of  the  highly  endowed  musician,  but  they,  too,  can  do 
things  which  he  cannot  do.  Washington,  unsurpassed  as  a  soldier, 
had  not  the  gifts  of  the  orator.  A  great  thinker,  it  is  said,  had  not 
the  linguistic  faculties  to  clothe  his  thoughts  in  suitable  language. 
Every  man  lias  his  proper  gifts  of  (^(xl  in  his  creation,  and  if  obedi- 
ent, he  will  find  his  true  calling  in  this  world. 

Whether  we  conclude  the  earth  began  by  miracuh:)us  Creation,  or 
otherwise,  we  cannot  evade  the  fact  that  her  beginning  was  miracu- 
lous. Every  thing  outside  the  processes  of  nature  is  called  miracu- 
lous. Every  living  thing,  plant  or  jinimal,  now  existing  came  from 
a  parent  at  the  head  of  its  kind.  Tlierefore  the  first  parents  of  every 
living  thing  had  a  miraculous  beginning.  So  with  the  earth  ;  so  with 
all  tilings  coiuiected  with  her.  There  was  a  beginning;  it  was 
miraculous.  The  start  of  nature  could  not  be  according  to  her 
natural  processes.  Every  organism  must  have  an  organic  form,  must 
be  a  being,  before  it  can\)bey  the  laws  of  its  own  being,  which  are 
peculiar  to  itself. 

H  we  were  to  believe  the  geologists  we  would  think  the  world  has 
traveled  a  very  painful  course.  In  one  age  they  have  her  hot  enough 
to  burn  up  everything  on  her;  and  in  another  cold  enough  to  freeze 
everything  to  death.  And  whatever  it  produced  to  grope  its  way  in 
misery  for  long  periods  of  time  unknown.  And  if  we  were  to  believe 
the  evolutionists,  the  real  ones,  we  would  think  we  had  come  a  piti- 
ful way — through  reptiles,  frogs  and  apes.  Worse  than  Jonah  in  the 
tish. 

How  much  better  it  is  to  take  that  sensible,  grand,  sublime  and 
happy  account  of  the  origin  of  all  things,  by  the  producer  of  all  things, 
given  us  in  His  word,  which  carries  within  itself  every  necessary  proof 
to  convince  every  one  that  it  is  the  Word  of  (rod.  If  any  one  shall 
do  so,  that  soul  shall  be  blest.  On  their  theories  they  had  as  well  to 
ascribe  to  the  age  of  the  earth  time  indefinite.  For  when  a  mm 
guesses  at  a  date  and  has  tt)  qualify  his  guess  witli  a  margin  of  indef- 
inite ages,  it  shows  he  knows  nothing  about  that  date.  Their  own 
printed  language  shows  that  they  do  not  know  anything  about  the 
dates  they  try  to  set  up.  Without  the  Bible  w^  e.innot  tell  anything 
about  the  age  of  the  earth,  except  what  is  found  in  m.in's  hand-wri- 
ting some  where  or  otlur.  Tli?  excavators  h;iv3  found  very  much  on 
this  subject,  but  all  their  finding  is  not  near  so  correct  as  what   we 


\ 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


09. 


( 


k 


have  in  the  Bible;  nor  so  old.  Even  with  the  Bible  we  may  miss 
it  a  few  centuries — eight  or  ten,  perhaps.  Without  the  Bible,  we  can- 
not tell  how  she  came  to  be;  or  iinw  she  received  her  form.  Without 
the  Bible  it  would  all  bo  mystery  to  us.  But  if  there  is  such  a  Crea- 
tor as  the  Bil)le  reveals  to  us,  then  it  is  all  plain  ;  easily  understood. 
With  the  Bible  a  litthi  child  can  understand  it.  For  by  faith  we 
un<lerstand,  Heb.  11  :55. 

The  children,  with  the  Bible,  can  understand  how  (rod  could  do  it, 
as  easy  as  they  can  understand  how  their  fathers  here  can  do  the 
things  they  do  which  appear  v^ery  great  to  little  children.  Tlu^  one  is 
as  easy  to  childhood  as  the  other.  No  stumbling  block  here.  (2  Tim. 
8:15).  It  will  do  the  same  for  men  if  they  will  do  right.  (John  7:17). 
If  any  man  stumbles  it  is  caused  by  the  darkness  of  his  own  sins. 
Never  did  a  person  raise  an  objection  to  revi^lation,  as  given  us  in  the 
Bible,  that  did  not  spring  cmt  of  sin.   (Matt,  lo,  18,  H);  John  J5:I8-21). 


CHAPTER  VI. 


Tmk  Biuli-:  does  not  metition  all  the  species  of  animals  that  were 
created;  but  it  says  to  the  children  of  men,  sulxlue  the  beasts  and 
have  dominion  over  them  all,  alike  on  land  and  in  water.  That 
implies  a  warfare  between  the  human  species  and  all  the  rest,  more 
or  less  violent,  as  the  nature  of  each  would  require;  and  as  captors 
usually  do,  make  servants  of  all  they  can  utilize  to  their  advantage, 
and  kill  out  the  rest.  So  doubtless  did  those  first  lords  over  the 
beasts. 

Our  forefathers  told  us  of  the  great  big  snakes  thev  killed  out  of 
this  country;  and  of  wild,  harmful  animals,  too:  so  we  feel  quite 
safe  in  this  country  now  on  that  score.  So  has  it  been  in  the  first 
settling  of  all  countries  since  the  flood.  More  animals  were  saved  in 
the  ark  than  human  beings.  It  is  reasonable  that  the  beasts  would 
occup3^  l^^t^  earth  first.  And  how  far  it  was  necessary  to  prepare  the 
earth  for  man  we  do  not  know;  but  we  have  found  that  since  we 
have  had  our  forests  neither  burncHl  over,  nor  grazed,  since  the 
so-called  stock  law  has  been  in  force,  that  our  atmosj)here  is  less 
pure  than  Ix^fore,  our  health  consequently  inq)aired.  The  Indians 
found  the  beiLsts  here,  utilized  all  they  could,  and  killed  out  all  of 
the  rest  they  could;  because  their  women  and  children  were  afraid  of 
them.  When  the  wliite  nu'u  came  they  did  same,  and  for  the  same 
reasons.  If  any  species  have  been  destroyed  this,  1  think,  is  the 
prime  cause  of  it. 

In  public  print,  February'  17th,  1900,  it  is  said,  *'that  the  Ameri- 
can officials  who  have  just  made  a  census  of  Cuba  report  haviu;? 
found  in  the  mountains  of  the  interior  a  tribe  of  Indians  who.se 
existence  was  Dreviously  lui known." 

Now,  if  these  Indians,  without  intending  it,  could  remain  unknown 
to  white  men  for  400  years  in  as  small  an  area  as  Cuba,  how  nuich 
more  reasonable  is  it  th.at  beasts  that  have  been  written  extinct  yet 
have  living  descendants  somewhere  in  this  wide  earth,  when  .so 
much  of  its  area  remains  unexplored    by  civilized   man?     The  white 


TO. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


71. 


men  did  not  know  for  four  centuries  that  these  Indians  were  in 
existence;  neither  do  these  writers  know  that  any  species  of  animals 
that  ever  existed  have  become  extinct.  Because  man's  pi^esent  infor- 
mation of  all  lands  and  of  all  waters,  is  not  sufficient  for  him  to 
know  but  that  there  are  some  of  the  samo  species  now  livinc^  some- 
where. Men  are  not  able  to  know  all  that  are  now  livintr  on  all 
lands  and  in  all  waters  on  earth ;  therefore,  it  is  not  true  to  say  any 
have  ceased  entirely. 

A  few  years  ai?o  camels  were  found  unexpectedly  by  some  hunters 
in  our  western  territory.  I  never  have  accepted  it  as  a  fact  that  any 
species  of  animals  has  become  extinct  out  of  the  whole  earth.  It  has 
not  yet  been  proven,  nor  can  it  be  without  a  much  fuller  knowledge 
of  all  lands  and  waters  of  the  earth. 

If  you  were  to  search  the  fields  of  the  conflicts  you  mi<]^ht  find  the 
remains,  perhaps,  of  some  human  beinj^s  with  the  relics  of  the  beasts 
they  slew ;  thouj^h  we  would  not  know  but  that  other  forces  heaped 
them  tofijether  lonjj^  afterward.  Doubtless  that  has  been  true  of  that 
quite  universal  conflict  first  and  last ;  for  what  we  know  of  our  coun- 
try is  a  fair  sample  of  how  it  has  been  in  other  countries;  of  our  a^^e 
how  it  has  been  in  all  other  ages.  For  if  history  repeats  herself 
nature  rather.  The  language  of  revelation  implies  a  conflict  between 
the  two  and  a  universal  victory  for  man  over  them  all.  (Gen.  1 :28, 
9:2).  What  man  does  not  feel  like  he  has  gained  a  victory  when  he 
has  subdued  a  monster  beast  of  any  kind?  The  savage  often  musters 
quite  a  companj^  of  men  to  capture  a  ferocious  beast. 

We  find  in  the  Old  Testament  times  the  Hebrews  were  often  afraid 
of  evil  beasts ;  that  they  were  often  troubled  very  much  by  them.  Jacob 
feared  that  one  had  devoured  Joseph.  God  often  threatened  to  pun- 
ish the  wicked  by  them.  That  many  of  the  Jews  should  be  destroj^ed 
in  their  wars  with  Babylon  by  beasts;  that  the  remnant  left  in  the 
country  after  that  war  could  scarcely  live  for  them.  That  furnishes 
a  good  criterion  by  which  to  judge  how  numerous  and  troublesome 
they  were  in  those  ages.  ''The  irrepressible  conflict''  w^as  on,  and 
nature  and  the  Bible,  as  two  faithful  witnesses,  will  tell  the  story 
true.  We  should  not  wonder  if  surviving  monuments  of  that  war 
are  found;  for  what  other  war  so  great,  so  wide  in  its  path,  leaves  no 
traces  of  its  victories  on  the  one  side  and  of  its  defeats  on  the  other? 
As  is  often  the  case  in  purely  human  conflicts,  the  weaker  is  quite 
exterminated,  so  should  we  not  be  surprised  if  by  analogy  in  this 
conflict  the  beasts  are  greatly  thinned  out,  almost  extermiliated. 

The  Lord  Himself  decreed  that  the  Amalekites  should  be  extermi- 
nated. (Ex.  17:14.)  And  no  doubt  the  Sodomites  are  extinct.  And 
does  He  not  say,  "  How  much  better  is  a  man  than  a  beast?  ''  If 
any  useless  and  evil  beasts  have  become  extinct,  it  was  because  He 
decreed  it  for  these  reasons. 

Our  friends  out  west  tell  big  tales  about  their  adventures  with  the 
with  the  wild  beasts  in  that  country ;  and  I  guess  the  Indians  can 
beat  them.  It  seems  that  the  North  American  buffalo  by  and  by, 
perhaps,  will  be  known  only  in  history.  His  remains  may  furnish 
curios  for  some  future  seekers.  It  may  be  so,  too,  with  our  lions, 
panthers  and  bears.     We  know  how  they  went  from  this  part  of  the 


S 


i  E  ^ 

) 


country;  so  they  must  have  gone  of  old,  as  far  as  they  have  been 
oxtermhiated.  Man  was  authorized  to  do  it,  if  he  could  not  subdue 
them  without.  One  of  the  promises  to  the  faithful  ones  is  that  the 
beasts  shall  not  hurt  them.  (Hos.  2:1J5,  Is.  80:9).  Another  is  they 
shall  be  in  peace  with  the  beasts  of  the  field.  (Job  T)  :28).  And  victory 
over  them  is  promised  to  the  godly  through  providence,  (Ps.  91 :18). 

We  can  infer  from  this  how  hard  it  was  to  protejt  theixiselves  and. 
women  and  children  in  those  days  from  the  destructive  beasts.  And 
in  our  times  we  have  heard  of  a  bear  stealing  a  baby  from  the  cradle 
in  the  pioneer's  house  in  only  a  short  absence  of  its  parents ;  and  of 
travelers  being  devoured  by  them  as  in  times  of  old,  which,  if  duly 
appreciated,  will  cause  us  to  be  the  more  interested  in  this  subject. 

But  the  beasts  have  been  good  pioneers  for  man ;  there  were  lands 
in  the  wiregrass  regions  of  Georgia  that  the  first  settlers  said  were  not 
worth  cultivating  until  trod  by  animals;  they  were  too  porous.  But 
after  being  trod  a  while,  would  produce  well.  In  this  part  of  our 
State  farmers  used  to  have  tiard  work  to  subdue  a  canebrake,  but 
they  have  learned  an  easier  method.  Now  they  first  pasture  it;  that 
kills  the  cane,  branch  and  root;  and  the  roots  rot  and  add  to  the 
richness  of  the  soil ;  whereas,  plowing  only  makes  the  cane  sprout  and 
grow  the  more.     The  beasts  are  good  pioneers  in  both  these  cases. 

This  may  have  been  the  Divine  order  of   preparing  the  earth  for 
«Teneral  cultivation  from   the  time  man   sinned.     Perhaps,  for  that 
purpose  in  the  long  ago,  those  larger  ones  were  the  more  necessary, 
as  they  would  answer  that  purpose  best,  and  were  needed  then  on 
top  of  the  ground  to  prepare  it  for  cultivation,  as  were  the  worms 
under  the  surface.     And  when  they  had  performed  their  task,  passed 
away,  at  least  from  those  countries  where  they  were  no  longer  usefu  . 
Since  the  majority  of  mankind  went  into   idolaty,  and  that  fol- 
lowed by  savage  life,  this  seems  to  be  the  providential   order:     Send 
first  the  beasts,  birds  and  all  land  animals  as  the  first  pioneers,  then 
savage  man,  then  civilized  man;  each  in  successive  turns  preparmg 
the  wav  for  the  other.     As  the  savage  pressed  the  animals,  so  civi- 
i zed  man  has  pressed  him.     And  with  an   irrepressible  conflict  wil 
thev  press  each  other  until  all  the  useless  beasts  and  savage  mankmd 
are  exterminated  from  the  earth;  and  only  civilized  man,  and   ^uch 
beasts  as   he  can  use  some  way  or  other,   in   his  service  remam      It- 
seems  that  useless  beasts  in  civilized  countries,  and  savage  mankind 
are  things  that  will,  in  the   providence  of   God,    have  t^o   give   their 
room  for  that  which  is  better.   The  Dinornis,  a  bird   said  to  be  about 
twice  as  large  as  the  ostrich  is  reported  to  have  lived  in  ^ew  f  ^iiland 
until  about  the  beginning  of  the  18th  (^^^"^^;7^,,.They  were  fat  and 
stupid;  lived  entirely  on  vegetable  food ;  had  brilliant  plumage ;  their 
Hesh  was  good  for  food;  their  feathers  rich  for  commerce^;  and  man  s 
cupidity,  it  is  said,  has  pressed  them  out  of  existence     ^ho;^^^?  1^^ 
others  have  perished.     And  if  those  remains  found  «  ./l^.^^  ^^";^- 
bedded  in  stone,  as  they  were,  had  not  been  found  until  lat^r  years 
some   might   have   said  these  birds  never  f^^t^^-/^/ J^J^^^    X? 
remains  would  have  decomposed;  no  trace  of  ^^^^Jf  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
could  have  been  gathered  from  the  natives  of  that  coun  ry,   and 
skeptics  might  have  said,  as  some  want  to  say  of  the  revealed  account 


THE  STOKY  OF  CREATION 


72. 

.     .     ^      1-+V...  "      Rnt   Mccordiiv  to  wluit   they  say 


t,       Tl,;  h.l' ..     ".nr„;  t     V  p     V  don  Hal  leaain.s.  and  men  in  duo 
;f™e  bv      ,  s    ah^h,^   ..Ividenoo",  to.  Mis  onl.n-s  to  both  were  to  ,nuK 
plv  a-,ul  fill  the  earth.  Tlu-  l,easts  reeeiv,.,!  '  "^  <''-;^,77,   re^.i;^  J     , 
were  a  little  before  bin,.     Kaeh  was  cornman.led  to  hU  theeaith  wit!. 

its  own  spec i OS.  «  „  . 

•rh,.re  was  .u.tbi.,^'  then,  so  I  think,  to  prevent  t'^^"",  f '•"!"';;':" '"^ 
,„  .  n.eriea  :  nor  fr-m,  j,oin.  anywhere  else  «'  \':"\ -'^vlt  nrevaiUh  e 
even  to  the  polar  re-jions.  For  the  peel .ar  conditions  that  P  «";"•♦  "ere 
now  have  been  interposed  sinee  that  time,  so  I  think.  And  men  ni.  .> 
s  i,  1  V  S  bv.  The  beasts  were  the  first  pioneers,  sent  of  xod  to 
r  epi  e  t^he  wav  for  man.  so  all  the  earth  might  be  ready  for  h.m  nl 
his  eominj.'.  He  is  th.'  heir,  and  shall  .luly  possess  it,  r.s  be  shall 
need  it. 

Wlien  tlie  Lord  interposed    conditions  upon  mankind    tliat   caused 
them  to  scatter  over  all  the  earth,  no  douht  He    put    the  same   xipon 
beasts  too,  for  man's  sake  to  help  him  in  all  lands,  Oen.  11 :.).     Each 
peculiarity  in    both  man  and  ))east,  from   its  own  sense  of  necnl  seek- 
n-   the  most  conixenial    clime  for   it.     In    the  course  of    time    Ihe.r 
peculiarities  would  become  more  marked  ;   but    not  more  so  than     he 
peculiarities  of  uiankind  that  occupied  the  same    rej^cx.ns.     Hence    t 
'm    no  doubt,  that  naturalists  are  puzzled  in  findin-  d.lUM-ent  annuals 
in  different  parts  of  the  earth,  as  if  there  had   been  a  i)eculiar  iauna 
for  each  continent.     A  proper  study  of  tlie   Bible  in  connection  with 
the  natural  world  will  unravel    it  all.     The    inspired   writer   teaches, 
since  sin  entered    this  world    there  has    been  a  struj.-le    from  some 
opposin-  eonditions  somewhere  in  the  very  nature  ol      hmo-s       1  ha 
both  mankind  and  all  the  brute  creation  have  sutTered    rom  it      Ihat, 
thev  -roan  and  travail    in  pain  to-ether.  (Rom.  8:t>0-2,>,)  as  if   to  be 
delivered  from  it— the  curse  of  sin.  His  lan-ua-e  implies  so  I  think, 
that  mankind  and  the  livin-   world   below  them    have   been,  m  this^ 
stru<-le  tocrether   from  the  time    it    be-an.     In  every   jreneration  of 
eartfrunto  the  present.     That,  I  think,  a-rees  with  Oenesis.     Ana  I 
believe  it  has  been  experienced  by  them  all  from  the  hrst  sm  and  its 
curse  until  now.     He   says:     -We    know   that   the   wliole   creation 
^rroaneth  and  travaileth  in  pain  to.i?ether  until    now.        It   was  com- 
monly understood  that  mankind  and  beasts  had  all    dwelt   to.i^ether 
and  suffered  together  in  every  i^eneration  of  earth.     He  does  not  say 
travel,  as  in  a  march  to  a  jriven  point,  but  travail  as  to  the  time  of 
deliverance.     In  His  mercy  to  man,  He  adapted  the  conditions  of  the 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


7a. 


i- 


I 


beasts  in  every  part  of  tlie  earth,  to    His  own  peculiar  conditions  in 
every  ])lace. 


CHAPTER  VI T. 


Fkm)M  the  lirst,  animals  increased  much  faster  than  mankind.  And 
fcotu  the  force  of  circumstances,  stood  far  more  chances  for  their 
remains  to  be  preserved  in  nature.  H(Mice,  we  mi,<,dit  expect  to  tind 
them  earlier,  and  far  more  numerous.  So  from  the  facts  of  Bible  his- 
tory we  mio-ht  reasonably  suppose  there  would  be  found  luore 
remains  of  animals  preserved  by  natural  processes  than  of  man. 

And  when  are  found  remains  of  ve«i:etable  oriranisms,  or  of  animals, 
or  of  human  beinixs;  where  are  chemical  proj^erties  sufficient  to  hold 
them  in  a  state  ofpreservat ion  we  should  not  be  astonished,   for  such 
thiiv^s    frequentlv    happen,    as    in  an    earthquake.     An    earth(|uake 
often  swallows  up  everything-    in  a  lar.o-e  district.     And    if    there  are 
chiMuical    properties    there    sufficient    to    preserve    them,    they  all- 
human  bein-s,  animals,  implements  of  all  kinds,  and  houses  may  be 
preserved.     But  what  in-oof  is  that  of  nature's  re<,nilar  <'ourse?     It  is 
an  exception  to  her  rule.     And  what  proof  is  there  in  that  that  there 
were  no  other  kinds  of  plants  or  animals  then  in  the  world  than  those 
whose  remains  are  found  in  that  place?     Or  as  in  the   eruption   of   a 
volcano    the  Howinj^   lava  is  liable  to  eiudose  anythin.jj:,  dead  or  alive, 
that  may  be  in  its  path.     But  what  could  it  prove   hut  that   those 
thiivs  were  there  at  that  time?     It  would  be  no   proof  that  there 
w(H'e"not  at  that  time  other  species  of  animals  or  plants   on    earth 
whose  remains  are  not  ])reserved  in  that  lava.     Or  shall  we  say  that, 
there  were  no  other  species  of  animals  or  j^lants  other  than  are  foum 
in  the  ruins  of  Pompeii,  livino-  in  the  world  at  that  time?     It  w^ould 
be  as  reasonable  as  to  say  nothing  lived  on  this  earth  different  from 
the  remains  which  are  found  preserved. 

Where  are  all  the  other  things  that  were  in   the  Roman  empire 

when  that  catastrophe  occurred,  than  what  is  there  preserv-ii  in  the 

dust'?     The  common    receptacle  of  all,   with   few   exceptions.     And 

where  are  all  the  other  species  of  life  not  preserved  by  nature  m  the 

different  geological  ages?     In  the  dust;   and  existence   no  man   can 

tluMU  deny.     Shall  we  argue  from  the  general  rule  in  nature,  or  from 

the  exceptions?     We  all  know  that  the  general  course  of  nature  is  for 

all  living  things,  when  they  die,  for  their  bodies  to  decompose    an.l 

it  is  t^od's  decree  that  thev  should  go  back  to  the  earth :  "dust  thou 

art,  and  unto  dust  shalt  thou  return,"  (Oen.  :M1)),  is  written  upon 

them  all,  and  that  any  are  preserved  against   it  is  <u,ly  an  exception 

that  providence  for  some  reason  permits.     Ther(^tor(^  all  that  are  not 

preserved  in  art  or  nature   mingle  together  in  common  dust.      Ihat 

is  the  truth  in  all  from  the  lirst  generation  of  earth  until  the  present; 

and  that   no   remains  of   any   particular  species  are   not  V^^^^^ 

found  or  not,  is  no  proof  whatever  that   it  has   not   existed  in   ever> 

generation  of  earth  till  now\  i      i- 

From  the  Bible  we  understand  that   the  earth  was  in   a  chaotic 
state  at  first .     I  would  suppose  that  the  azoic  rocks  were  then  formed. 


\J^    /Kjl^^ 


74. 


THK  STORY  OF  CKKATIOX. 


TlIK  STORY  OF  CREATION 


<»). 


and  it  niMV  have  l)eoii  by  fusion.  We  Icnow  tiioro  is  internal  heat 
and  tire  iii  the  earth;  and  have  been  as  lon«,^  as  known  to  man,  the 
earth  hatli  ])een.  Many  rocks  were  doul)tU'Ss  tlius  formed  in  Crea- 
tion, and  many  sinee  have  been  so  formed.  And  the  Bible  furtlier 
teaehes  that  the  whole  earth  was  under  water  |)rior  to  the  third  day, 
when  the  Lord  made  the  seas  and  the  dry  land  to  appear.  Many  aqua- 
tic rocks  mav  have  been  then  formed  by  the  powerful  action  of  the 
water.  And  it  would  be  analo^^ous  to  what  Me  afterward  did  in  cre- 
atin«,Mhe  water  aninuils  in  the  water,  and  the  land  animals  on  the 
lamf;  every  one  was  achipted  to  its  ehMuent.  So  it  may  have  been  in 
the  makin.i  of  the  rocks.  But  everything;  in  Creation  was  miracu- 
hms.  Creation  lierself  a  stupendous  mira(de.  And  we  know  many 
ro(rks  have  been  formed  since  by  the  action  of  water. 

Those  that  have  no  fossils  may  have  been  formed  before  any  kind 
of  life  existed  on  the  eartii.  Or',  if  formed  since,  had  no  opportunity 
to  embrace  any.  Or.  perhaps,  no  chemical  properties  were  present 
to  preserve  them.  These  fortuitous  condit  ions  have  to  blend  to^^ether 
for  nature  to  hold  any  in  a  state  of  preservation.  So  it  is  always  an 
exception  to  her  <j:eneral  rule  for  any  to  be  preserved  in  organic  form. 
It  was  said  of  old,  "'the  voice  of  the  people  is  the  voice  of  Crod.'' 
When  the  so-called  facts  of  these  writers  are  brou<;'ht  before  the 
jud«^ment  of  mankind  they  will  be  rejected.  For  they  are  not  facts; 
and  every  thin  kin*;  person  will  see  they  do  not  aj^ree  with  nature. 

It  is  worthy  of  note,  that  in  rej^ard  to  the  formation  of  both  aquatic 
and  ligneous  rocks,  the  «;eologists  and  the  Bible  are  quite  close 
toj^ether.  I  l)elieve  by  both  of  these  forces.  He  then,  while  the  earth 
was  passing  from  chaos  to  her  permanent  form,  produced  as  many 
rocks  as  He  saw  best.  And  by  the  same  forces  since,  sonu^  suddenly 
and  some  slowlv.  As  a  matter  of  course,  she  must  have  had  rocks 
all  through  her  then,  and  on.  top,  too.  The  best  evidence  we  have 
that  she  tlid,  is  the  fact  she  has  them  now. 

And,  of  course,  all  then  formed  could  have  no  remains  of  life  in 
them;  for,  before  the  third  day,  not  even  any  ])lants  had  been  cre- 
ated; nor  any  animals  until  the  fifth  day.  Therefore,  no  forms  of 
animal  life,  dead  or  alive,  could  be  embraced  in  any  rocky  formation 
made  before  the  fifth  day.  And,  perhaps,  nothing  at  that  until 
><omething  had  died ;  and,  of  course,  we  have  no  means  of  knowing 
when  life  first  yielded  to  death. 

There  may  have  been  some  terrible  catastrophe  in  nature  when 
man  sinned.  Doubtless  all  nature  was  convulsed  at  that,  and  Provi- 
denge  showed  His  rebukes  in  nature  as  well  as  in  word.  The  earth 
bears  witness  against  it  today.  It  struck  deeper  into  the  earth  than 
man  will  ever  be  able  to  go.  That,  no  doubt,  was  the  beginning  of 
all  the  irregularities  that  are  found  anywhere  in  the  structure  of  the 
earth.  And  as  mankind  have  sinned,  they  have  become  the  more 
frequent.  Death  could  not  begin  until  after  num  sinned.  That 
catastrophe  may  have  caused  as  a  sacrifice  some  plants,  as  the  Lord 
afterward  required  grain,  oil  and  fruit  in  sacrifices;  and  animals,  too, 
and  animals  to  be  swallowed  up  by  an  earthquake,  or  other  convul- 
sion, throughout  the  whole  earth,  as  a  perpetual  witness  of  His 
displeasure  against  man's  sin. 


/A 


No  dou])t  the  first  dry  land  was  the  rocky-faced  Himalayas.  No 
animal  nor  vegetable  remains  could  then  be  embraced  in  her  rocks. 
Nor  in  the  rocks  of  Ararat  nor  Hermon.  All  of  them  had  a  plenty 
of  rocks,  and  of  various  kinds.  So  ditl  all  the  dry  land,  as  it  solidi- 
fied for  those  that  were  to  occupy  it,  and  became  more  and  more  so 
up  to  the  tinie  He  occupied  it  with  plants,  animals  and  human  kind. 
But  of  that  period  before  sin  came,  has  nature,  as  good  as  she  is,  and 
as  liberal,  too,  never  a  relic  furnished  us.  She  was  too  poor  at  that 
time  to  save  us  a  single  one;  she  was  not  prepared  then  to  deal  in 
fossils.      In  this  particular  the  geological  azoic  age  agrees  with  Bible 

historv. 

And  when  death  prevailed  it  would  naturally  take  the  wc^iker  and 
shorter-lived  first;  and  so  would  casualties  in  nature.  Fallir>g  in 
death,  or  imbedded,  where  were  agencies  in  sufficient  quantity  to 
preserve  them,  those  so  environed  would  be  preserved  in  organic 
form.  The  inferior  creatiu-es  on  land,  and  especially  in  water,  were 
much  more  abundant  in  CreJvtion  than  the  larger  ones;  and  especially 
of  our  domestic  animals,  and  also  increased  more  rapidly.  If,'there- 
fore,  more  remains  of  these  weak,  short-lived  creatures  are  found  in 
the  first  of  what  is  called  paleozoic  time  than  of  others,  or  even 
when  no  others  are  found,  it  is  agreable  to  Scripture,  for  the  Lord 
created  those  in  the  water  first;  and  it  is  on  sea  shores  where  it 
is  said  they  are  supposed  to  be  most  ancient  and  nuiuerous.  ''And 
God  said.  Let  the  waters  bring  forth  abundantly  the  moving  crea- " 
tures  that  hath  life."  (Gen.  1  :'20-2i).  And  the  waters  brought  forth 
abundantly  living  creatures  after  their  kind.  Nor  was  the  command 
limited  to  any  water — '"waters." 

Think  of  how  many  generations  of  these  weak,  short-lived  creatures 
might  have  died  out  during  the  life  time  of  Adam,  980  years,  and  it 
is  "i-easonable  that  the  lives  of  larger  animals,  and  especially  our 
domestic  animals,  would  be  in  the  same  proportion  in  hMigth  as  they 
are  now  to  man's  life-.  So  it  may  have  been  centuries  in  paleozoic 
time  l)efore  nature  had  an  opportunity  to  catch  any  to  i^reserve 
them.  And  whether  she  did,  or  did  not,  it  is  no  proof  that  all  specu'S 
no.w  in  existence  did  not  then  live.  The  law  of  death  went  to  work 
inimediatelv  after  man  sinned,  with  the  inevital)le  result  of  decom- 
position following  in  its  path,  and  that  any  have  escaped  that  result 
is  onlv  an  exception  that  Providence  allowed. 

Geologists  have  made  two  mistakes;  one  is  by  claiming  that  fossils 
are  in  nature's  regular  order,  whereas,  decomposition  and  dust  are  in 
her  reo-ular  order,  and  fossils  are  but  exceptions  to  her  general  rule. 
The  otiier  is,  in  giving  ages  when  their  own  statements  show  that 
they  cannot  come  anyways  near  the  true  dates. 

It  is  not  probable  anyway  that  the  remains  of  mans  domestic 
animals  would  be  i)reserved  iu  those  distant  ages ;  for  they,  like 
men,  were  comparatively  few,  and  shared  with  num  His  providential 
protection.  And  under  these  circumstances,  as  it  is  with  niankmrt 
would  be  more  likely  to  return  to  dust.  ^^^^  know  that  l)easts  would 
not  bury  themselvei,  would  not  bury  each  other;  nor  would  men  be 
apt  to  bury  them.  So,  unburied,  it  would  hardly  be  thal^  any  would 
escape  the' inevitable  law  for  all.     We  would   suppose  the   most   of 


TO. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


77. 


tlu'so  thai  tin*  proserved  from  decomposition  wore  swallowed  up 
alive;  and  wIkto  such  casualties  occur  are  the  more  likely  to  be 
chemical  properties  to  i)revent  decomposition.  In  any  a.i^'o  those 
that  perish  that  way  are  few  to  the  whole  bnlk  of  the  ^n>neration 
that  ^o  back  to  earth.  All  of  the  preserved  in  fossils  in  any  a<>-e, 
therefore,  are  few  wlien  compared  with  their  contemporaries  that- 
went  to  dust.  To  dust  a.i^^iin  is  the  Divine  decree;  is  inevitalde  to 
all,  unless  He  suffers  it  prevented. 

Even  the  rocks  die.  I  noticed  many  decayin;,'  ones  vrhen  I  was  a 
small  boy:  crushed  many  a  one.  I  thou,i?ht  then  that  they  added 
tht'ir  bulk  to  the  soil.  \Vc  observe  many  in  a  decayinjj:  state  in  rail- 
road cuts  and  beds  of  common  roads,  showing:  that  much  of  the 
strata  of  the  earth  is  soft.  Well  di<i:,srers  find  the  same  to  be  true; 
sometimes  they  can  cut  throu<rh,  nnd  sometimes  they  have  to  blast 
it  out.  In  slate  stone  countries  some  o^  it  is  (tailed  rotten  slat(?  and 
some  hard.  Hence  the  ex|)ression,  "hard  slate.*'  When  the  rocks 
die  thev  return  to  the  earth,  as  does  a  tree.  Shall  we  say  they  never 
existed  for  that? 

We  have  no  evidence  of  the  forms  of  those  that  decomposed,  exce))t 
in  tiie  forms  of  their  livini,^  representatives.  Of  course  common  his- 
tory and  the  Kible  help  us  mucli  in  that  (juest.  The  wicked  is 
removed  and  his  place  on  earth  cannot  be  found  ;  nor  is  the  rii^hteous 
more  fortunate  as  to  that.  So  has  it  been  with  man  and  beast  in 
jT^eneral  since  sin  and  death  ensued. 

It  is  obvious  if  nature  were  to  make  a  deposit  today  by  any  means 
whatsoever,  she  would  embrace  in  that  deposit  tliose  thin<^s  that 
should  be  in  her  way  in  that  place  at  that  time.  But  it. does  7iot  f(d- 
low  for  that,  that  there  are  no  different  species  in  the  world  t»ulay 
than  would  be  embraced  in  that  deposit.  Nor  wouhi  it  be  at  all 
triK^  for  the  future  to  suppose  tliat  all  the  species  of  animals  and 
ve<,'etables  now  living- in  the  world,  were  embraced  in  that  deposit. 
Such  a  thin.ijf  could  not  be  possible.  It  would  take  a  miracle  to  brinj^ 
some  of  every  species  within  the  ran<:;e  of  that  catastrophe.  Nor 
w'oidd  anythinf(  short  of  miraculous  intcM'position  have  preserved  some 
of  every  species  of  plant  and  animal,  in  every  ijjeneration,  from  the 
first  until  now. 

Thr  truth  is,  the  nretty  butterflies  and  beautiful  moths  have 
blessed  ever\-  a<,^e  of  the  world,  toi^^ether  with  tlie  hosts  of  other  flyinic 
insects,  have  \yith  comparatively  few  exceptions  returned  to  dust  ; 
but  before  they  left,  prepared  for  their  kinds  to  fill  the  world  after 
them.  They  filled  their  missions  and  fell  on  sleep.  Happy  for  us  if 
we  do  so  well  in  our  hi<;her  spheres  of  being.  And  every  age  of  the 
world  has  heard  ''the  singing  of  birds ;"  have  enjoyed  their  winged 
beauty,  pretty  plumage;  shared  in  the  good  they  bring  to  nature  in 
general.  But  they  died;  and  with  comparatively  fev>'  exceptions 
returned  to  their  dust.  But  in  the  favor  of  Providence,  others  in 
regular  succession  filled  their  hapjjy  places.  Nor  did  everti  one,  not 
even  the  least,  fall  to  the  ground,  go  to  dust,  without  His  notice. 
They  did  His  will  and  fell  asleep,  to  rise  no  more.  Their  n^mains  are 
not  in  organic  form  to  be  found.  But  shall  the  world  be  deprived  of 
the  precious  legacy  of  their  past  history  for  that? 


m 


I    m    i 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

It  WAi=i  some  time  later,  too,  than  Creation's  week  before  death  her- 
self furnished  any  relics,  whether  preserved  or  not.  And  nature,  it 
seems,  did  not  act  violently  enough  in  those  first  times  following 
Creation  to  swallow  them  up  alive.  The  first  catastrophe  was  man's 
sin.  And  we  are  not  informed  how  long  he  had  lived  before  that  sad 
event  occurred.  The  curse  of  (rod,  it  is  true,  following  sin,  had  a 
very  great  effect  upon  all  nature  on  earth.  Yet  it  is  highly  probable, 
from  the  Bible,  that  death  did  not  prevail  with  much  success  before 

the  Hood. 

St.  Paul  says:  "Death  reigned  from  Adam  to  Moses — even  over 
them  that  had  not  sinned  after  the  similitude  of  Adam's  transgres- 
sion," Rom.  r):14.  That  is  a  sin  like  that  Adam  committed— a  known 
sin.  Who  is  it  that  sinned  not  after  that  fashion,  except  unaccount- 
able persons— as  little  children?  It  seems  that  the  most  of  those 
that  died  before  the  flood  were  infants  and  small  children.  They 
would  naturally  be  decomposed;  no  relic  of  them  would  hardly  be 
preserved  anywhere  in  nature.  And  the  only  history  we  have  of  the 
antediluvian'  w^orld,  mentions  no  catastrophe  to  swallow  them  up 
alive.  The  Lord  allowed  men  to  live  a  long  while  and,  of  course,  the 
lives  of  women  were  quite  as  long.  Hence,  there  would  not  be  many 
deaths  among  them;  and,  no  doubt,  were  all  decently  buried,  and 
flecomposed;  so  no  remains  of  them  could  now  be  found.  Neither 
did  they,  we  would  suppose,  venture  abroad  in  the  first  ages  very 
much  where  they  would  be  exposed  to  unusual  dangers. 

It  is  probable,  too,  the  length  of  the  lives  of  animals  bore  an  equal 
proportion  to  man's  life,  as  they  do  now.  Especially  his  domestic 
animals;  so  only  comparatively  few  of  them  would  die  in  the  first 
centuries.  Nor  was  man  authorized  to  kill  them  before  the  flood, 
except  for  sacrifice,  and  then  their  carcasses  were  burnt  on  the  altar. 
It  may  be  true,  also,  that  the  beasts  on  land  and  in  water,  too,  did 
not  oppose  each  other  in  those  times.  Man  lived  on  vegetable  diet 
only,  before  the  flood.  Joseph  says,  "it  was  one  cause  of  their  long^ 
lives."  As  we  find  in  Genesis  1 :26  the  same  law  of  diet  applied  to 
beasts  also.  As  in  Genesis  9:8,  they  were  authorized  for  the  first 
time  to  eat  flesh;  the  same  law,  too,  was  extended,  no  doubt,  to  ani- 
mals; thence  thev  began  to  prey  upon  one  another. 

And  there  is  no  record  of  a  war  before  the  time  of  Abraham  and 
Lot.  It  is  true  there  was  violence  before  the  flood,  in  the  last  (cen- 
tury thereof,  but  it  does  not  follow  that  it  extended  to  death.  The 
Lord  punished  Cain  so  severely  that  it  appears  to  have  restrained  a  I 
from  slayincr  one  another.  So,  if  no  remains  for  the  flrst  of  the  pal- 
ezoic  ages  are  found,  except  inferior,  short-lived  creatures,  it  is  just 
what  we  would  expect  from  a  comparison  with  the  Bible  history  or 
the  flrst  millennium  after  Creation. 

Some  c.eoloo-ists  say  they  And  there  has  been  a  break  in  the  devel- 
opment of  the  earth's  structure,  or  crust  at  least,  that  there  are  evi- 
dences of  some  upheaval  which  caused  irregularities;  thence  a 
different  order  of  general  formation  set  in,  and  from  that^  time 
forward  thev  find  many  more  fossils  than   before,  of  more  different 


I 


c 


^-■K,'    s^    '»-. 


78. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


79. 


species  tlinii  before;  that  this  period  was  followed  by  a  glacial  period 
in  the  temperate  /ones;  and  that  period  by  what  they  style  the 
present  agricultural  mold  with  all  its  outcome  since. 

Now.  I  believe,  that  upheaval  was  caused  by  the  great  catastrophe 
of  the  universal  flood;  when  the  Almighty  passed  over  all  the  earth 
in  tremendous  judgment  on  account  of  the  sins  of  mankind.  The 
internal  structure  of  the  earth  then  suffered  many  changes  as  well  as 
did  her  surface.  The  rich  deposits  they  write  about,  \  think,  were 
made  l)y  the  recedence  of  those  tremendous  waters.  The  time  they 
say  man  aj)p('ared  on  tlie  earth  with  his  domestic  animals,  I  believe, 
was  then.  And  the  many  things  tliey  find  now  in  a  preserved  state 
of  all  the  different  species  there  found,  are  tlie  remaiiis  of  the  ante- 
diluvian world.  Never  had  a  chemist  a  laboratory  so  complete  as 
nature  had  then  for  preserving  relics  of  her  pre-existing  inhabitants 
before  the  deluge.  It  was  well  for  her  to  do  so,  for  those  in  the  ark 
had  all  they  could  carry  to  bring  over  into  the  new  world.  This,  I 
believe,  is  the  be^'innini'  of  the  newer  svstem  thev  write  al)out.  Nor 
do  I  believe  there  ever  was  a  glacial  period  before  that  time,  nor 
since.  Such  a  flood  as  th(^  Bi!)le  describes  would  be  obliged  to  sweep 
the  poles  of  the  earth  with  tropical  waters,  and,  of  course,  those 
waters,  incalculably  great,  would  move  the  arctic  and  antarctic  ice 
out,  and  it  would  be  but  a  natural  result  for  much  of  it  to  settle 
upon  the  temperate  zones.  When  it  melted  after  the  recedence  of 
the  waters,  it  would  cause  many  drifts,  and  that  for  a  long  while. 

There  is  no  evidence  that  the  flood  did  not  cover  the  whole  earth; 
but  very  much  that  it  did.  Traditions  of  men  acknowledge  tliat  it 
was  in  every  continent  of  earth;  nature,  in  every  continent  of  earth, 
gives  forth  her  corroborating  testimony,  even  to  the  tops  of  her  high- 
est mountains,  (io  where  you  may,  and  she  virtually  says,  ''Noah's 
Hood  was  here," 

After  one  hundred  and. fifty  days  the  fountains  of  the  deep  that 
had  been  furnishing  water  supplies  to  keep  the  higliest  mountains  of 
all  the  earth  covered  were  stopped.  Gen.  7:20,  8:1-8.  And  by  the 
seventeenth  of  the  seventh  month  the  waters  had  assuaged  enough 
for  the  ark  to  rest  upon  Ararat.  Exactly  five  months,  allowing  thirTy 
days  for  a  month,  froiu  the  time  the  flood  began ;  Noah  was  a  learned 
man  and  kept  the  exact  dates.  About  tlie  tiiue  the  ark  rested,  doubt- 
less many  and  very  great  mountains  of  ice  from  the  poles  were 
caught  in  their  course  afloat  upon  the  tremendous  waters  and  settled 
in  the  mountains  of  the  temperate  zones.  Or  in  any  they  might  be 
arrested  by.  This  is  the  natural  reason  why  they  settled  more  on 
mountains,  for  they  were  the  tallest  parts "^of  the  earth,  and  their 
forests  offered  the  first  resistance  to  their  floating.  No  doubt  but 
the  recedtnce  of  the  waters  left  many  of  them,  great  fields,  as  it  were, 
continents  of  them,  still  unmelted.  And  it  may  be  it  took  the  heat 
of  many  summers  to  melt  it  off.  So  there  would  be  annual  over- 
flows, as  some  writers  speak  of  the  coal  fields  showing  signs  of  several 
inundations  of  either  marine  or  fresh  water.  This  woutd  partake  of 
both  salt  and  fresh  water;   mostly  salt,  however. 

The  ice,  no  doubt,  would  press  the  forest  under  its  great  weight; 
and,  as  the  account   says,  every  living  thing  would  die,     And'^the 


4 


A 


fl 


un^es   Q 


forests  thus  crushed,  crushe»l  under  mud,  too,  following  the  ice,  per- 
haps, made  no  doubt  great  wealth  of  coal  for  future  generations. 
The  mountains  are  usually  richest  of  all  parts  of  the  earth  in  coal, 
and  this  is  a  good  reason  for  it.  Of  course  much  of  it,  as  in  cnn^es 
and  other  favorable  places  for  the  materials  to  settle,  would  be  buried 
very  deep;  and  of  course  drifts  would  be  made  by  the  melting  ice 
clear  out  to  the  sea  coast,  or  other  bodies  of  water.  Nature  had  a 
sjilendid  opportunity  to  lay  the  foundation  then  of  the  vastest  coal 
fields  that  she  has  ever  made.  And  under  the  providence  of  Ood  I 
believe  she  used  it  well;  she  used,  too,  I  think,  the  great  opportu- 
nity of  preserving  fossils  on  a  wider  scale  than  she  ever  had  before, 
or  since. 

Some  writers  have  been  speculating  that  another  glacial  period 
may  visit  the  temperate  zones.  I  do  not  think  there  will  ever  be 
another.  But  the  Bible  is  uifderstood  to  teach  that  fire  will  sweep 
over  the  whole  earth  and  destroy  all  of  man's  physical  works  from 
the  earth. 

Though  some  try  to  comfort  tliemselves  with  the  idea  that  it  Is 
only  figurative  language.  So  it  was  about  the  flood.  Only  eight 
persons  believed  it,  prepared,  and  were  saved  by  faith.  Christ  says, 
''Be  ye  also  ready."  Be  always  ])repared ;  stand  in  readiness,  for  ye 
knovr  not  the  time  when  it  shall  come. 

I  do  not  believe  there  will  ever  be  another  glacier  period  in  the 
temperate  zones.  Nor  do  I  believe  there  ever  was  any  other  period 
of  time  that  could  have  produced  such  an  event  as  that,  except  the 
deluge;  there  is  no  other  way,  so  I  think,  to  account  for  it  than  this. 
There  were  forces  enough  at  work  then  to  produce  it,  but  not  before 
nor  since,  such  a  thing,  so  I  think.  And  we  showed  sufficient  reasons 
before,  I  believe,  why  it  could  not  be  sooner. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


I  KELTKVE  many  very  large  deposits  of  animals,  vegetables  and 
other  renuiins  were  nuide  by  the  Hood.  Water  was  then  over  all  the 
earth.  (Cren.  7:19).  It  was  a  whole  year  before  Noah  and  the  rest 
could  leave  the  ark,  on  account  of  the  land  being  too  wet.  And 
doubtless  much  of  it  longer  than  a  year  in  drying.  All  the  fountains 
of  the  great  deep  were  broken  up  to  furnish  water  sufficient  to  cover 
the  mmintains.  And  fifteeji  cubits  above  the  highest  of  them  did 
the  water  prevail ;  probably  triumphed.  This  was  the  first  time  they 
had  been  turned  loose  since  the  third  day  of  Creation.  Now  for  this 
length  of  time  they  rioted  all  over  the  whole  of  their  old  territory. 

Having  in  them  every  variety  of  water  in  the  whole  earth — in  a 
happy  condition  for  preservingall  kinds  of  organisms,  she  laid  then 
the  foundation  for  it  on  a  large  scale,  to  be  perfected  afterward.  No 
wonder,  then,  that  so  many  are  reported  to  be  found  corresponding 
so  well  with  what  might  be  expected  from  the  record  of  that  wonder- 
ful event.  Thev  floated  on  the  waters— were  as  liable  to  settle  in  one 
continent  as  another.  So  where  they  are  found  is  no  proof  that  they 
lived  there  before  thev  perished.  Many,  no  doubt,  were  borne  far 
awav  from  their  native  places.     The  remains  could  not  indicate  that 


80. 


THE  STORY  OF  (T.EATION. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


SI. 


them  to  be  deposited  thero.     Some  too,  peculiar   to  e old   ^<^>^i"^;  ^^; 

St  belSed  in  southern  lands,  but  ^V^-^^^  "^t  ^ffe^^^^ 
thev  ever  lived  there.     A   prop.^r  consideration  of   the  effects  of   tne 
le  u/e  ^ill  relieve  the  diffi<'ulties  in  settling,  all  such  questions 

1  rm.  found  in  certain  localities  does  not  prove,  therefore  tha    tl  e 
ind  viduals  lived  there.     For  by  the  powerful  waters  of     j^^^-^^^- 
previous  order  of  thin^^s  in  all  the  earth  was  torn   qui  e  a  1  to  me(^es. 
Some  that  lived  in  the  far  seuth  may  have  been  lodged  at  the  noitli, 
un'ss  the    mountains,    bein,  the  highest  l^-^-^^^j^^---/^;;;,^;'^; 
<.et  the  first  claim  to  these  kinds  of  settlers.     Even  ^^e  Ark,  NMth  al 
U^car-o  settled  on  a  high  mountain.     And  if  it  was  a  law  of  nature 
or  hei^to  do  so,  then  the  mountains  had  the  priority  to  all  these  kind 
of  settlers  and  got  a  large  majority  of    them.     iSo  ^^^^^ ^^  ^ 
prised   to  hear  of  sea  shells  or  other  remains  ot   sea   l.te  i»ii^">  P^^^^ 
of  the  earth,  even  upon  the  tops  of  the  highest  ^"^"'J^.Y';^-     ^\';^\^  /^ 
does  not  prove  that  they  lived  there,  it  is  a  proof   that  the  ^^atel^  of 
the  delu-e  were  there.     For  the  sea  went  thundering  over  them  all  in 
time  of  tlie  flood.     It  is  dumb  nature's  voice  testifying  to  all  who  will 
read  and  studv  (rod's  Word  in  proof  of  it— the  flood. 

In  the  timeV)f  the  Hood  there  were  none  to  bury  the  numerous  dead. 
It  was  (rod's  battle,  and  He  buried  the  dead— being  victorious— hold- 
ing the  field.  He  did  it  well.  Some  of  them  He  put  far  below  the  future 
surface  of  the  earth  when  she  should  become  settled.  And  some  He 
embalmed.  The  great  majority,  however,  after  interment,  decom- 
posed and  returned  to  the  earth.  It  was  one  of  His  designs  in  pre- 
serving' what  He  did,  and  as  He  did,  to  help  man  materially,  as  well 
as  to  help  his  faith  in  Ood  and  the  Bible  when  they  should  be  found. 
But  Satan  alwavs  tries  to  thwart  all  the  good  he  can;  so  he  goes 
along  with  them,  to  get  them  to  misinterpret  it  if  he  can. 

As  coal,  oil,  and  other  substances,  men  utilize  from  those  beds  of 
matter  then  made,  have  been  prepared  in  nature's  laboratory  by  His 
providence  for  man's  use.  It  was  also  His  providence  when  it  was 
ready  and  mankind  needed  them,  that  led  them  to  find  them.  Now 
shall  we,  because  He  has  deposited  along  with  the  useful  that  which 
excites  our  curiosity,  and  greater  admiration,  as  He  has  done  in  all 
of   His  works,  deny  His  word  and  Himself  too?     How^  ungrateful  it 

would  be  I 

Those  who  find  them,  and  those  who  e^ercisig  them  should  be  thank- 
ful to  Him  for  them,  rather  than  thereby  try  to  influence  people  to 
disbelieve  His  word, His  providence  and  His  grace.  And  we  would 
do  well  to  consider  what  the  i)oet,  Heber,  says  about  the  general  state 
of  the  human  dead  : 

"Their  bones  are  in  the  clay. 
And  ere  is  gone  another  day. 
Ourselves  may  be  as  they." 

Suppose  there  are  evidences  found  by  excavators  that  this  country 
enjoyed  civilization  before  the  flood,  it  would    be  considered   a    proof 


A 


i 


k 


that  civilized  men  lived  here  before  the  deluge;  but  would  be  quite 
as  probable  that  they  were  only  deposited  there  by  the  receding 
waters  of  that  Hood,  it  being  a  universal  deluge.  It  would  be  if  they 
actually  lived  here,  a  proof  that  land  passages  wen^  then  opei'i  for 
them  and  their  (hunestic  animals  to  jxiss  over  on,  rather  than  that 
thev  navigated  water  of  any  great  breadth  to  get  here. 

\Vhether  mankind  had  spread  over  the  earth  that  much  before  the 
Hood  or  not,  evidence  is  not  wanting  that  the  whole  ejirtli  has  been 
submerged  by  the  s(^a.  And  remains  of  sea  life  found  so  frequently 
far  away  from  sea  sliores,  even  on  mountains,  sliould  be  taken  in  evi- 
dence of  the  universality  of  the  flood,  1  think,  rather  t  han  of  any 
other  occurrence.  The  Bible,  history  atui  nature  justify,  1  believe, 
that  claim — that  the  Hood  was  over  all  the  earth. 

Coal  being  mostly  of  vegetable  origin,  it  must  have  been  formed  ])y 
the  conversfon  of  forests  into  that  substance,  on  a  much  larger  scale 
than  a  blacksmith  prepares  his  charcoal,  but  on  a  process  somewhat 

similar. 

In  order  for  it  to  be  produced,  the  lands  where  it  is  found  must  have 
])een  covered  over  before  with  forests.  It  could  not  iiave  been  before 
the  earth  was  covered  with  forests.  When  the  whole  earth  was  under 
water  at  Creation,  there  were  no  forests  then.  There  is  no  period 
when  the  foundation  for  the  coal  found  in  the  earth  so  extensively  in 
all  continents  as  it  is  to-day,  could  have  been  laid  except  the  univer- 
sal Hood.     Then,  no  doubt,  much  forest  was  buried. 

If  it  w^as  spring  in  some  latituih's,  it  was  autumn  in  others.  If  it 
was  winter  in  some,  it  was  sununer  in  others.  Even  if  it  was  winter, 
the  forest  was  alive;  if  spring,  full  of  sap  and  growth;  if  summer,  in 
its  fullest  growth;  if  autumn,  it  would  have  on  a  full  crop  of  foliage 
So  it  would  geiuM-allv  be  swallowed  up  in  a  green  static  and  would 
heat.  While  in  tiiat  heated  state  the  leaves,  twigs  and  all  small 
l)ieces  would  be  consumed,  and  the  large  pieces  charred.  And  that 
of  itself  is  a  great  means  of  preventing  decomposition  ;  in  the  hands 
of  nature,  bv'and  by,  it  would  become  as  it  is  found  to  be  tcday. 

\il  the  writers  oii  the  subject  say  those  lands  have  been  submerged 
bv  either  marine  or  fresh  water,  and  at  that  time  were  cov(H'ed  witli 
forest-  and  where  not  with  a  lari^e  forest  growth,  with  marsh  meadow 
-rowth;  and  give  it  as  their*  judgment  that  those  conditions  pre- 
vailed before  the  formation  of  coal.      It   must  have  been  at  the  time 

"  If  we  were  to  sui)pose  that  those  great  mountain  ranges  in  all  con- 
tinents lay  a  long  while  under  the  sea  and  then  were  forced  up  by 
some  tremendous  upheaval  out  of  the  sea,  they  would  have  then  no 
forest  So  one  of  the  important  conditions  for  coal  making  would  be 
fackin'-.  And  if  thev  have  stood  all  the  time  as  they  are  now,  there 
never  has  been  anv  occurrence  that  could  have  carried  the  sea  over 
them,  but  the  Hood.  The  writers  say  after  the  forest  was  on  these 
districts  the  inundations  came  over  them  which  prepared  tor  making 
t  he  coal  The  supposed  glacial  period  could  not  have  done  it  t hrough 
Inthe  zones  of  earth  whe^re  the  coal  is  found.  U'ehav(^  shown  ly^ 
the  universal  deluge  would  cause  the  glacial  period  spoken  o  ,  a  d 
how  it  w.mid  lav  the  foundation   f.)r  the   coal    measures.     And    I   do 


82. 


THE  STOltV  OF  CJKEATIOX. 


„.,  iH^li.ve  tlKM-e  l.as  been  any  other  event  that  -^^^  (^^l  ^  ^^^^^f^ 
the -hicial  period,  and  have  laid  the   foundation   for  the  ^oal   to  ^^^ 
o<hu-e<l  i.f the  earth  exeept  the  flood.     And,  also,  in  what    hey  cdl 
the  eoal  period,  thev  speak  of  beds  of  pebbles  and  deposits  of   sand 
ThesrUually:arelhe\vorkso  the  flood  was  the  .n-eatesfc 

''^Mm'lTnm^^  heen   deposited   in    tiie   earth   since   that   time 

whieh  nature  <-ould  inanufaeture  into  eoal.  The  lime-stone  countries 
furnish  the  bulk  of  the  worlds  supply,  and  in  those  countries  are 
often  lime  sinks  and  ian<l  slides,  with  all  that  is  on  the  surface,  bur- 
ied more  or  less  deep.  Sometimes  by  an  earthipiake,  or  by  toe  under- 
minin-  influences  of  the  water,  hu-e  belts  alon-  shores  often  simi-i 
off  into  the  water,  witli  ail  that  was  on  the  surface  at  the  time,  whicli 
mav  be  converted  into  coal.  And  other,  an<l  all  inflences,  aw  at 
work  to  produce  wlial  Providence  wants  produced,  who  has  trom 
the  tir^t  furnislied  the  world  with  fuel  enouirli. 

While  His  judj^niient  was  severe  on  the  antediluvians,  it  was  ^rood 
on  the  distant  a^^es  of  the  postdiluvian  world.  (Rom.  11:22)-  it  is 
like  the  Savior's  judi^nnent  on  the  one  that  failed  to  improve  his  tal- 
ent •  it  wa<  taken  from  him  and  j;iven  to  one  that  had  doubled  his, 
and  the  ne-lecter  punished  besides.  (>ratt.  2:):2S-:5lO.  We  would  do 
well  as  the  ai)ostle  tlnnv  teaches  us  to  be  humble,  rather  than  boast 
of  our  sui)erior  advanta<res.  lest  His  jud.i.nnent  wax  severe  ao:ainst  us. 

(UIAPTER  X. 

If  no  remains  of  Howerinjj:  plants  are  found  imlxnlded  in  the  coal 
it  is  no  proof  that  none  existed  at  that  time.  In  every  forest  the 
lari^e  trees  bloom  ;  and  besides  them  are  many  small  ones  that  bloom. 
As'the  do<,^wood,  addinir  ^reat  beauty  to  the  seene ;  and  the  crab 
apple  tree,  fillino- the  air  With  a  very  delicious  frairrance;  and  the 
laurel,  which  is  very  pretty;  and  the  honeysuckle,  and  ttowerinji: 
vines,  wild  roses  and  violets.  More  southward  than  tliis  the  ^'rand 
ma<^nolia.  Added  to  this,  in  Florida  the  surface  under  the  forest 
trees  is  covered  with  wild  flowers  of  ^reat  variety  and  of  much  beauty. 

And  all  the  splendid  flowers  of  the  tropics  girdle  and  adorn  the 
earth;  have  done  so  as  far  back  as  mart's  knowled<j:e  extends.  And 
man's  judgment  knows  it  could  not  have  been  otherwise  since  time 
began;  even  as  they  are  all  in  nature  wild  today.  All  of  those  we 
cultivate  were  once  free  in  nature's  wild.     As  a  poet  says, 

"Full  many  a  rose  is  born. 
To  bloom  and  blush  unseen. 
And  spend  it's  fragrance 
On  the  desert  waste  alone." 

The  same  has  been  true,  no  doubt,  in  the  floral  history  of  every 
year  since  the  first.  And  doubtless  they  have  flourished  in  their 
respective  latitudes  together  from  the  least  to  the  most  splendid  of 
them  ever  since  earth's  first  spring  time.  And  millions  of  them 
every  year  since  time  began,  no  doubt,  were  reduced  to  ashes,  and 
the  ashes  are  earth  todav. 


\ 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


88. 


When^,  are  all  the  flowers  of  those  forests  and  marsh  meadows  and 
splenilid  jungles  these  writers  speak  of,  before,  and  in  the  coal  period, 
in  the  very  districts  where  the  coal  is  found,  besides  the  few  inferior 
ones  as  they  say  are  incased  in  the  coal  formation?  As  -'victor's 
wreaths  and  monarch's  gems"  they    -blend  in  common  dust." 

Suppose  we  should  say  none  of  the  human  race  lived  in  ancient 
times  except  those  whose  names  are  preserved  in  history.  It  would 
l)e  as  consistent  as  to  claim  that  there  were  no  flowers  anywhere  on 
earth  in  those  ages  besides  those  whose  remains  are  preserved  in  this 
coal.  Those  that  are  found  are  no  j)r(>of  that  there  were  not  present 
many  otiuu's  of  dilferent  species  not  embraced  in  the   coal    as   it  was 


torming 


The  coal  area  of  the  United  States  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  is 
reported  to  be  125. (MX)  square  miles.  But  what  is  that  to  the  2,(H>U,- 
UOO  square  miles  of  surface,  exclusive  of  water  surface,  east  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains  where  no  coal  is  found?  That  is  a  fair  comparison 
for  the  whole  earth.  Let  a  man  compare  the  area  embraced  in  the 
coal  beds  with  that  which  is  not.  and  he  will  see  that  it  is  only  a 
small  part  of  the  earth  when  corn|>ared  with  the  whole.  How  incon- 
sistent, then,  to  deny  existence  to  any  animal  or  vegetable  because 
its  remains  are  not  preserved  in  the  coal  until  this  day.  \o  court  or 
jury  would  consider  that  any  evidence.  It  does  not  prove  a  thing  as 
to  the  great  bulk  of  the  rest  that  went-  the  common  v»'ay  of  all.  As  a 
preacher  once  said  in  regard  to  his  own  death,  "I  ask  for  no  exemp- 
tion, I  prefer  to  go  as  my  >raster  went.''  So  the  contemporaries  of 
the  preserved  pas.sed  through  the  general  way  open  to  all;  while 
tliese  writers  look  after  the  exceptions.  And  that  while  those  that 
went  to  dust  had  all  the  other  part  of  the  earth  to  live  or  die  in  ;  and 
besides,  the  coal  may  have  embraced  only  a  small  per  cent,  of  those 
living  or  dead  at  that  time  and  i)lace,  while  it  was  forming. 

If  the  slow  process  was  on  all,  the  living  ones  would  get  out  of  the 
way.  And  the  flowers  and  all  small  plants  would  mostly  decompose 
before  a  slow  process  would  embrace  them  for  preservation.  No  won- 
der, therefore,  that  so  few  of  the  great  bulk  of  every  o'eneration  are 
preserved  in  organic  form.  It  is  far  more  likely  that  those  thafare 
preserved  were  caught  quickly,  as  by  an  earthquake  or  volcano,  or 
Noah's  flood.  And  it  is  apparent  that  it  would  take  a  stupendous 
miracle  to  have  caught  up  some  of  every  species    in  each  generation 

from  the  first. 

For  vegetable  matter  to  be  converted  into  coal,  would  not  be  a  cre- 
tive  act;  it  is  reasonable  that  it  would  require  considerable  time  Jind 
therefore  have  less  power  to  embrace  fossils.  We  could  expecf  to  find 
only  com])aratively  few,  and  they  were  taken,  no  doubt,  in  a  dead 
state,  where,  in  tiie  providence  of  Ood,  they  rested.  Their  idea  of  the 
sea  coming  over  the  coal  districts  corresponds  pretty  well  with  the 
Bible.  The  first  is  the  impress  of  the  water  at  (Veation,  we'll  say  m 
the  composition.  The  retiring  of  the  sea  from  those  districts  that 
they  speak  of,  was  the  hour  the  Lord  separated  betw(^en  water  and 
dry  land  on  the  surface  of  the  earth.  The  long  interval  they  say  the 
sea  was  ott'  of  these  districts,  was  from  creation  of  the  seas  unto  the 
Hood    when  the  sea  came  back  over  them  all,  while  covered  with  pri- 


Till-;  JfiOUY  OF  CRKATION. 


S4. 

I    ..  fl,.,n  that  Hood  ('(.ulfl  liavo  broiight   tlio 
„„.val  forest.  Xo  power  U's>    luu      u     n  .^^  ^^^  ..ontinents. 

s<.:,  oven-  those  '""^'"Ir.ins   win   <■  «         oa   r  ,       ^^^^^^     ,^|^^  ^^^,^^^.  ._^^,„. 

Thev-an't  niak.'  it  out  :^"'"'"'  ^' ■',','      ,,^.,lt in- of  the  Arrtic  U-e, 
.,a,io„s  they  speak  of,  the  overHo«>  y,   ,'  ,,,7,^,   „,•,„  the    Hood 

,„„ved  ...It  of  its  plaee  hy  .he  "'j';  T^,   '  |,       ^  r.-l  ..To.n,tai..s.    where 
|,,,l.mne-ea.,sin,'<h-ir.sm.  ''f     '""',J(  ;;;,   M.-ses  an.l  Noah  eoL.l.l 

;::;^;n:e;:;^::lHOM;;;;t:,u:iiowt,u.i,.evi,,e,,eei,,e..ur.. 


CHAiTKH   XI. 


\ 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


85. 


*"xo';^hoVh;'vriri;o7';,;;ui.h  to  in.rn  ..p   ..ve.-yt.hi„,  on   ea,-.h    fo.- 

::SJ:S-''^^h::;'rhe^::,^ 


ill. V  that  all  .lie  ear.  11  «a,-  i-.^-i  .-■  ■"•',■:  f.,,,,.,,,,!  .^ 
thev  sthte.  Both  of  those  statements  are  evidently  o.ily  *«'"'"';  1^ 
lo  all  of  the  earth  at  any  time.     It  is  not  ^.11  safe  to   aeeepl    of   .hat 

'""itr,n\.^of''iK-.^::;ln;W  i^neo..  origin,  it  is  no.hin.  a.ainst 
wit"  here  set  fo.-.h.  Ne.ther  is  it  if  any  are  o  -l";;,;;,;''];  ; 
Both  of  these  inHnenees  and  results  have  prevailed,  no  I""''/'  '  ". 
ui  earliest  existen,-e  of  the  earth.  An.l  sin<-e  .nan  -•n"";^;  7, 
nm.en,-es  have  prevailed  also.  So  there  are  ^'rounds  ...  the  oibh  to 
account  for  all  th..  ways  they  have  been  an.l  are  bemj.  tonne 

Every  revolving  world  .nay  have  been  hot  when  .t   t.rst  came    into 


A 


A' 


L 


S 


being,  for  aught  we  know.  And  enougli  of  that  tire  and  of  that  heat 
remains  in  every  one  of  them  to  tliis  day  to  answer  all  of  His 
purposes. 

And  you  may  take  the  whole  story  of  the  fossils,  without  men's 
conclusions,  and  it  is  not  so  far  from  the  Bible.  For  instance,  Adam 
lived  9J30  years;  perhaps,  more  men  were  quite  as  long  lived  as  he 
than  not.'  So  for  a  thousand  years,  and  perhaps  much  more,  but  few 
men  or  women  died.  So  was  it  in  all  probability  with  all  of  the  larger 
animals.  In  the  first  millennium,  and  far  more,  perhaps  there  would 
be  no  remains  that  could  be  naturally  preserved  of  these,  not  being 
in  the  range  of  the  necessary  conditions  for  natural  preservation. 
And  as  in  man,  so,  perhaps,  in  all  the  species  of  the  larger  animals 
they  were  created  by  pairs;  that  being  enough  at  first  to  answer  all 
needful  purposes.  As  is  illustrated  by  His  after  method  of  saving  them 
in  the  ark  by  pairs  for  the  purpose  of  stocking  the  new  world  with 
the  different  species.  So  they  may  have  been  created,  and  as  man 
would  increase  the  more  slowly,  and  there  would  not  be  opportu- 
nities for  nature  to  get  any  of  their  relics  to  preserve.  Nor  is  there 
on  record  any  catastrophe  before  the  flood  to  swallow  up  any  of  them 

alive. 

They  speak  of  seashores  in  the  first  of  the  paleozoic  ages  swarming 
with  liiollusks.  That  is  very  agreeable  with  the  Bible;  for  God  said, 
*'Let  the  waters  bring  forth  abundantly  the  moving  creature.*'  The 
langaage  implies  those  that -crawl.  The  creeping  things  and  flying 
insects  that  live  about  the  water,  of  these  nature  had  abundance  to 
start  with.  And  these,  the  first  of  the  animal  kingdom  created, 
were  weak  and  short  lived,  and  would  naturally  furnish  the  first  of 
remains  preserved  in  nature.  Scripture  and  geology  are  close 
together  here,  except  what  is  called  geological  time;  which  is  only  a 
supposition,  without  foundation  in  nature.  Neither  do  we  know  the 
precise  time  from  Bible  chronology;  that's  admitted. 
•  Then  in  the  finding  of  fossils,  in  their  language  we  pass  up  to  rep- 
tiles. Well,  they  were  created  on  the  same  day  as  were  those  men- 
tioned above,  out  of  the  water,  except  the  original  serpent,  which 
was  a  land  animal  created  on  the  sixth  day,  traveled  erect  and  could 
talk.  When  the  l.ord  cursed  him.  He  took  away  his  power  of  speech, 
his  former  diet;  made  him  crawl  and  eat  dust,  (Is.  (h):2^)  and  Gen. 
::i:U),  and  the  land  snakes  doubtless  came  from  him.  See  how  sin 
degrade^ia  being!  The  reptile  race  are  short  lived;  so  they,  too, 
would  naturally  fiftrnish  early  relics. 

Thence  ascend  to  the  birds.  In  the  Bible  they  come  next  to  the 
water  animals  in  the  divine  order  of  Creation  ;  created  on  the  fifth 
day.  And  those,  at  least,  that  live  on  or  about  the  water,  out  of  the 
waters.  And  along  with  these  it  is  said  relics  of  fish  are  found.  They, 
too,  were  created  in  or  out  of  the  water,  and  on  the  fifth  day.  Birds 
and  fish  are  short  lived.  So  all  of  these  would  die  earlier  than  the 
larger  animals  that  live  in  water,  and  especially  those  that  live  on 
the  drv  land,  and  would  naturally  be  preserved  before  any  of  the 
larger ^mimals,  which  are  better  prepared  to  resist   casualties,  and 

liave  a  longer  tenure  on  life.  ,.       ,  .        ^„a 

The  first\3f  the  animal  Creation  were  those  peculiar  to  water,  and 


86. 


THE  STOKY  OF  CREATION. 


i* 


the  waters  hroii-ht  fortli  abundantly  those  inferior  creatures  after 
their  species,  ((ien.  J  :2l).  The  Revised  Version  in  the  margin  say^;, 
-Swarm  with  swarms  of  Jiving  creatures,"  verse  20.  On  tlie  seas  are 
more  casualties  against  life  than  on  land;  here  would  be,  as  it  was, 
the  scene  of  more  abundant  life  of  weak,  short  life,  and  more  dangers 
to  encounter:  the  first  lields  to  give  evidence  of  that  conflict  between 
life  and  destruction.  (Geologists  are  free  to  bear  witness  to  the  fact, 
for  here  thev  find  the  first  output  of  nature's  mummies.  "  the 
fo<sil  business  tliev  do  not  get  away  from  the  seashores  until  their 
coal  a<'e  \nd  still  hug  around  for  much  of  tluMr  time  those  shores, 
until  Thev  border  well-nigh  their  tertiary  system.  Tntil  then  they 
wereon  fhe  lifth  day  of  ('reation;  since  then  they  have  embraced 
those  which  were  created  on  the  sixth  day. 

But  I  believe  all  that  are  now  in  their  species  were  contemporary 
with  all  the  past  generations.  Some  geologists  bear  witness  of  it  to 
some  extent:  for  what  else  could  it  mean  when  are  found  in  their 
Devonian  age  just  as  perfect  fish  fossilized  as  was  ever  kiiown?  And 
in  the  Silurian  age  the  wing  of  an  insect :  whereas,  they  do  not  gener- 
ally admit  there  were  anv  insects  until  the  coal  age,  and  then  not  of 
the  highest  tvpes.  A  wing  of  one  in  the  first  age,  as  they  teach  of 
or^^ani'zed  life,  wcmld  show  that  such  a  creature  then  existed. 

Those  that  live  on  land  were  created  on  the  sixth  day  of  Creation. 
And  perhaps  only  a  male  and  a  female  of  each  species  of  the  larger 
ones  made,  as  was  the  human  species,  which  gives  unity  in  thoir 
every  species;  as  He  afterward  saved  them  l)y  pairs  in  the  ark  and 
stocked  the  new  world  with  them  after  their  kinds,  and  has  forbidden 
in  His  providence  any  permanent  interference  with  this  unity  of 
species,  which  marks  them  to  this  day. 

Therefore,  their  remains,  if  preserved  at  all,  would  be  later  in 
accordance  with  their  tenure  of  life;  and  fewer  in  proportion  to  the 
number  of  the  original  ones  and  their  ratio  of  increase,  which  is  one 
a  year,  through  the  bearing  period  of  the  female,  as  in  the  horse  and 
some  others,  as  the  cow,  and  all  the  rest  are  nothing  in  increase 
when  compared  with  some  birds,  fish,  reptiles  and  all  those  which 
furnished  the  first  remains. 

(Jther  men  and  myself  once  counted  forty-nine  young  snakes  borne  at 
once  by  the  female!  on  the  bank  of  a  creek.  They  all  leaped  into  her 
mouth';  they  killed  her  and  that  number  of  them  were  in  her.  Now, 
with  all  these  facts  before  us,  we  could  not  expect  to  find  remains  of 
the  lari^er  ones  until  later  on  in  time.  And  of*  man,  still  later, 
because  he  was  but  a  single  species  and  only  a  single  pair  in  that  one 
species;  and  increased  more  slowly ;  limited  to  a  certain  period  in 
the  life  of  the  female ;  the  statute  of  limitation  was  put  upon  the 
increase  of  the  race.  As  a  physician  once  told  me  in  regard  to  cer- 
tain ceremonial  laws,  it  was,  he  thought,  to  prevent  too  great  an 
increase  in  the  family.  (J)eut.  VIA-i),  \:\:m,  Ez.  22:10  and  Lev.  18:19.) 
So  this  was  done,  no  doubt,  and  for  the  best  results;  and  a  mercy, 
too,  it  was. 

And  what  does  it  prove?     That  all  mankind  are  of  this  single  pair, 
and  (rod's  Creation,  and  His  constant  care. 

Josephus  says,  in  chronology  the  antediluvians  had   no  regard   to 


^ 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


87, 


/ 


the  deaths,  but  counted  from  the  births  of  the  ilkistrious  ones;  but 
in  this  law  of  evidence  from  fossils  death  controls.  Death  was  by 
imture  latest  in  man  than  in  any  other  organized  being;  hence  later 
before  any  of  his  kind  were  preserved  in  anyway  after  death  against 
decomposition.  Next  to  him,  those  animals  that  bear  once  a  year, 
and  only  one  at  a  time.  The  nearest  allied  to  man  by  nature,  and 
the  more  under  his  care;  so  they  lived  and  were  protected  with  their 
owners,  and  last  of  all  animals  would  have  the  misfortune  to  be 
swallowed  up  alive  by  casualties.  Man  was  first  in  Ood's  esteem, 
first  in  His  protection  against  all  these  casualties;  and  next  to  him 
his  most  useful  animals  were  protected  by  providence  for  man's  sake, 
ikit  all  dwelt  on  the  earth  from  the  first  generation  of  anything  that^ 
liveth;  all  at  the  same  time  as  today.  The  absence  of  man,  or  of  any' 
other,  from  the  fossils  in  any  age  of  the  world,  is  no  proof  that  that 
species  did  not  then  exist.  A  fossil  proves  nothing  against  the  gen- 
eral fact  in  nature,  as  now,  that  all  species  have  lived  together  in 
every  generation  of  earth,  died  and  Avent  to  dust. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that,  if  you  leave  out  the  conclusions  these 
writers  try  to  fabricate  on  the  fossils,  and  take  the  facts  themselves, 
everthing  of  the  kind  excavation  finds,  and  their  testimony  does  not 
contradict  the  Bible;  but  as  far  as  it  goes,  or  can  go,  it  strengthens 
the  history  of  Creation  and  of  primitive  times  as  given  in  the  Scrip- 
tures. So  in  nature,  as  in  the  Bible,  the  story  is  plainly  written. 
That  is  the  bottom  truth  on  this  whole  subject  of  fossils. 

I  believe  the  flood  was  two  or  three  centuries  later  than  our  author- 
ized version  makes  it  to  be;  according  to  some  Christian  writers, 
more  than  that.  It  is  said  the  Samaritan  Pentateuch  makes  its 
chronology  eight  or  ten  centuries  more  than  ours.  So  the  flood  may 
have  been'  considerably  later  than  our  authorized  text  makes  it  appear. 
And  it  all  agrees  well  with  geologists,  their  dates  excepted. 

It  is  said  less  and  less  signs  of  organized  life  are  found  as  we 
descend  to  the  azoic  rocks,  and  more  and  more  as  we  rise  above  them, 
until  they  become  quite  prolific.  That  agrees  well  with  what  might 
reasonably  be  expected  from  the  history  in  the  Book  of  Oenesis.  Up 
to  the  carboniferous  age  it  is  said  no  forms  of  life  are  found  preserved 
hi<'her  in  organization  than  reptiles,  though  said  to  be  a  preparation  for 
the  reptilian  age.  But  from  the  succeeding— the  Permian— it  is  said 
there  was  a  transition  from  the  palaezoic  (ancient)  life  to  a  new  phase 
of  geoloc^ical  history.  This  change  and  the  peculiarities  before  and 
after  Tbelieve,  were  caused  by  the  Hood.  In  the  cretaceous  age 
remains  of  mollusks  and  reptiles  are  yet  fcmnd,  which  is  said  to  end 
with  that  period.  Above  this  their  mammalian  age  sets  m.  As  they 
advance  upwards,  a  few  mammalians  are  found;  but  more  and  more, 
until  thev  are  found  in  the  tertiary  part  of  it.  together  with  the 
remains  of  nianklnd  closelv  connected  with  their  diluvian  and  glacial 
periods,  at  the  beginning  of  what  they  call  the  recent.  All  these  rich 
deposits  of  ^Mammalians,  even  the  largest  ever  known,  with  remains 
of  human  beings,  no  doubt,  were  made  by  the  Hood,  not  «>f  f  *>l;f>'; 
but  of  the  Bible.  We  have  shown  that  according  to  the  Bible,  he> 
could  not  be  expected  to  be  preserved  before  the  flood.  \\  e  have 
^;hown  how  the  diluvian  and  glacial  periods  of  geologists  could  be  pro- 


88. 


THE  STORY  OF  CRKATIOX. 


The  flood  m  its  ^"'''■■;";:,";;";"„  ■■;-|;;;7.«l  is  found  t,,  be,  so.ne  very 

S':::^.:X^:si^^  ^itu:'lvroot^^i^^^^  t...  o,.  bea 

'^  Aftr  tr.,:;:;:r,n:.n  uu-reasea  ..o,r,paraf,vely  slow  for  n  few  eentu- 
Hef  »:;.';  res,  of  «nU,K,te  eroati.^.  '^t  "m^r'th?  flo^d!  s  whol'e 
[Sir  ^r''''^-^rveu':t  r  atUr:  "siVe/n'Tvas  OCK.  year,  old 
b  ore  he  .M  livin'at  least  480  years  after  the  delude  Mu^  pe^^- 
han-lhe  lives  of  the  lar-er  animals  were  P'-"l>".>-t>""f' ■'>  '"  «"  .,^ 
fr  these  first  eenturies  after  the  flood  the  remains  of    mankind    am 

.  e  aninmlsricM-ibe,!  would    neeossarily    be  '-v    in   number     ha 
eonid  be  preserved.    If,  therefore,  in  the  be-mnuif;  of  the  f^r  "•'J'<^"'^ 
f>    mi   .'fewer  of  these  are  found  than  before  or  afterward    t  would 

onl     wl  a    wo    .   be  reasonably  concluded  for  the  f^rst  nnllonn.um 

,:.  .h^flood.  acordin,  to  saered  hi.story  in  ^^-^^"-^.(^['jZTtU. 
1  believe  from  nature  in    her  regular  course,  as  «el   a^  f-;"  "     "^ 
Bible  statement  of  Creation  and  its  teaehins  on  provdence,  that    he 
whole  animal  kin-iloni,  whether  inca.sed  in  stone  or  rest.nR   .n   dust, 
or  "sh;"   or  now  living,  have  all  in  their  several  species  existed  in  the 
Irld  contemporaneot,sly  through  all  their  generations      rom  Crea- 
tion till  now,  as  has  man  in  his  species.     By  t:'^\""f  f  ^,^'^„,^'\' " 
nature   when  not  interfered  with,  everything  is  kept  in   its  o«n  s,pe 
eie^      I  raised  a  crop  of  improved  tomatoes.     The  volunteer  plants  I 
et  stand   cultivated  them,  and  never  saw  a  fuller  crop  ot  the  small- 
est varm  of  little  round  ones.     So   it  is  with  everything   in  nature 
that  man  improves.     When  he  lets  it  alone,  it  invariably   goes  back 

to  its  oricrinal,  wild  nature.  ^   ^  a-  u^^   v(c. 

When  the  Lord  put  Adam  and  Eve  in  the   garden   of   deli-hts,  He 

Lmve  them  the  priviU-n^  to  make  any  improvement  in  it  *»^^y  ^^^;;^.  ^;; 

And  of  course,  it  is  a  happy  entertainment  to  ^^^'P^^'^^^^"^^.!"  "tda^e 
and  make  improvements,  but  when  our  hands  are  off  she  will  re-ulate 
herself  This  j^eneration  is  a  type  of  all  the  past  of  earth  in  every- 
thiuL'  'and  proves  better  than  anything  else  what  the  past  has  been 
and  also  what  the  future  shall  be.  As  is  the  present,  so  was  the  past 
in  nature's  course,  and  so  will  the  future  be. 

That  they  do  not  find  remains  of  all  the  species  that  are  now  living 
in  the  world  is  not  so  remarkable  by  half,  as  that  they  do  hnd  any  at 
all  If  none  at  all  had  been  preserved,  it  would  not  have  been 
remarkable.  So  the  absence  of  some  that  are  now  living  is  not  remark- 
able in  anv  age.  For  the  common  rule  in  nature,  and  the  decree  of 
the  Jud^e'of  all,  is  for  all  to  die  and  return  to  dust  again.  W  hat  are 
preserve'd  are  exceptions,  and  we  should  draw  our  conclusions,  as  in 
lotric    from  the  general,  rather  than  from  the  exceptions. 

When  we  say  fossils  are  exceptions  to  nature's  general  course,  we 
state  a  fact  that  every  informed  person  knows  to  be  true.  For  wliy 
are  they  sent  to  national  museums  and  kept  as  curios?   And  why  are 


f  f  * 

1  I  t 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATTOX. 


R9. 


\ 


/ 

k 


they  examined  by  visitors  with  interest?  It  is  because  they  are 
uncommon.  And  the  more  perfect  the  remains  the  more  interesting 
are  they.     Many  of  them  are  only  imperfect  skeletons. 

Why  do  they  not  take  dust  of  animals?  Because  it  is  in  nature's 
ordinary  course — the  common.  Therefore,  it  provokes  no  curiosity. 
They  could  get  a  plenty  of  human  ashes.  But  a  human  bone  excites 
a  great  interest  in  these  writers  if  found  preserved.  And  why?  It 
is  out  of  nature's  ordinary  course.  Their  own  examples  show  that 
they  so  recognize  all  fossils.  * 

I  have  seen  the  petrified  remains  of  an  Indian.  But  I  did  not 
suppose  there  were  no  dogs  and  cats  and  horses  in  that  country  at 
the  time  that  Indian  lived  there,  because  they  did  not  bring  along 
their  petrified  remains,  too. 

It  would  be  just  as  reasonable  though  as  the  theory  these  men  try 
to  set  up  on  fossils.  And  why  did  they  bring  the  Indian's  remains? 
Because  it  was  a  curiosity.  Why  did  they  not  bring  along  some  dust 
of  horses  and  cattle?  Because  it's  common.  But  the  life-like  form 
of  the  Indian's  remains  was  out  of  nature's  regular  course  with  a 
corpse;  and  people  paid  to  see  it.     The  dust  is  her  common  course. 

If  a  mammoth  is  found  in  a  frozen  state  it  is  no  proof  that  he  has 
existed  longer  than  the  sixth  day  of  Creation.  The  fact  that  he  was 
found  frozen  is  proof,  I  think,  that  that  act  of  freezing  took  pUYce 
since  Adam  sinned.  For  I  believe  it  is  evident  from  the  Bible  that 
no  part  of  the  earth  was  cold  enough  then  to  form  ice  anywhere. 
Certainly  the  fusionist  would  not  think  so.  Before  sin  entered  no 
shelter  nor  clothing  was  needed  for  man's  protection  or  comfort.  Of 
course  then  it  could  not  be  cold  enough  at  that  time  or  before,  for 
animals  to  freeze  anywhere  on  earth.  The  conditions  that  prevail 
now  at  the  poles,  I  do  not  think  existed  before  man  sinned. 

They  could  not  set  in  at  all  before  the  sun  was  made  the  centre  of 
liirht  and  heat  on  the  fourth  day.  Before  that  time  the  light  and  the 
lieat  could  not  be  otherwise  than  uniform  all  over  the  earth  and  day 
and  night  equal  all  around  the  world  and  from  pole  to  pole.  And  what- 
ever amount  of  snow  and  ice  might  accumulate  in  the  polar  regions 
would  be  broken  up  by  the  equatorial  waters  at  the  time  of  the  flood, 
which  would  move  it  out,  scatter  it  over  the  earth,  thus  adding  to 
the  greatness  of  that  catastrophe. 

The  ice  that  now  is  at  the  poles  must  have  been  formed  since.  If 
there  ever  was  a  time  ''when  the  ice  of  the  north  came  down  upon 
the  temperate  zone"  it  must  have  been  then.  Not  before,  nor  since. 
Nothing  less  than  that  could  have  done  it,  or  that  something  would 
move  it  out  now.  The  glacial  drifts  are,  as  many  other  facts  in 
nature,  I  think,  traces  of  the  universal  flood. 

Some  have  supposed  that  it  was  limited  to  that  part  of  the  earth 
occupied  by  man.  But  as  to  that  we  have  no  means  of  knowing  how 
far  man  had  spread  over  the  earth;  nor  which  was  covered  with 
water  and  which  was  dry  land  before.  The  deluge,  no  doubt,  pro- 
duced many  changes  in  natural  geography.  It  is  best,  I  think,  to 
take  what  the  Bible  says  about  it,  and  what  it  says  about  everything 
it  teaches^ 


90. 


THE  STOFvY  OF  CREATION 
CHAPTER  XTI. 


M.>.v  of  the  nanu.s  by  which  the  «.«f,- /-^.l^jTn'^'sSn  I>evo- 
ignatedin  geology  are  only  l«''tff Jom  thTmvme^  of  the  localities 
nian,  Pern,ian  and  Jurassic  Taken  "  "  ^^«  ^l^^,^"  "j,,  application, 
where  those  rocks  were  '''"^t  "" /^j^f  ';!  f„,™  7;' jHose  times  they 
therefore,  they  canno  represent  *]';  ^' ^"'  ,,^  "  ;Vow  that  the  whole 
stand  for,  or  at  any  other  tune.     It  dots  not   '  """  ^    [ 

earth  is  constructed  "--.v-J-- ^J^'  '",t,'*,,V^;    Her^as  a  "lound  in 

SVi-r^^eXr  'u:i  t^'^^^:  of  ^.t  are  in  the 

"  n'so"w4''couia  di..  anywhere  into  the  earth  and  find  ccxvl.   Because 
it       n'so^: Tarts  o"f  tl,;.  earth,  it  would  be  -->-'--; *  "^t  aus 
the  earth.     And  we  could  find  iron  anywhere         ^'^^^  '^|»;j\„™vo 
tl,P  i-esnlt,  would  be  if  it  is  in  one  part,  it  is  in  all.     And  so  mi  n.  « 
'ti'yXerlnd  ,old  anywhere;   for  from  tl.e  faet  ^^  -  -  one^plae      t 
wmild  be  in  all      Well-di--ers  often  -o  thirty-hve  or  forty  teet  ^^an 
rlH^dln^^^ly  rock  to  hinder  them  ;  a,..in  tl^  ^;^rThat"hf  s 
they  can  cut  throu-h ;  now  hard,  they  have  to  blast.      I  hat  srlo^^ 
the  crust  of  the  earth  is  not  formed  everywhere  alike      So    "  l^^^^"^ 
artesiTn  wells  to  very  great  depths;  they  find  different  ^'onditions    n 
dlff^m  t^^^^^^^^^      furnishing  proof  that  the  crust  of  the  earth   is  not 
^l^^t^where.     And  }ow  f^  of  ^^^^^.^^  tl^ 
fossil.     In  boring  for  water  they  often  go  1  2W  or  1>00  l^^^'^^^^^^^ 
and  for  oil  ^,(HX),  5,tKH)  feet,  and  the  deepest    /^^^^^^^^  ^^^,^  ;^'  "^'^  ^^^;. 
You  may  sample  a  bale  of  cotton  and  usually  you  will  J?^\f^/i^^ 
iud^nnent  of  its  quality  throughout.     But  you  cannot  so  sample  the 
vhoiebulk  of  tile  earth.     If  you  could,  then   there  -ould   be  c;.ai 
everywhere,  or  nowhere;   for  it  is  in  some  places  and  not  in  others. 
Or   -old   evervwhere,  according  to   the   sample  in  some  places;   or 
nowhere,  according  to  the   sample   in   other  places.      1^;^/^^^^^^^^  '^^ 
Infinite  Wisdom  has  put  these  things  not  everywhere,  but  on  >    in 
certain  parts  of  the  earth  as  He  saw  ht   for  the  good  of  all,  anc 
adapted  by  far  the  greater  part   of   the   dry    land   to   agricultural 

^^^Therrare  peculiar  formations  of  the  earth  where  mica  is  found. 
That  is  understood  practicnilly  by  those  who  dig  for  it.  So  is  there 
for  every  metal;  but  they  do  not  furnish  criteria  for  judging  ot  the 
whole  earth.  If  those  who  follow  mining  should  suppose  so  tliey 
would  be  very  much  mistaken.  Just  so  it  is  in  regard  to  all  those 
local  names  in  geology.  They  do  not  prove  what  was  the  stat^  ot 
the  whole  earth  in  those  ages  they  are  made  to  represent.  How 
small  a  part  of  the  earth  do  these  localities  represent  to  that  which 
they  cannot  represent. 

Xow  they  state  it  for  truth,  that  no  other  species  of  organized 
beings,  either  animal  or  vegetable,  lived  anywhere  on  earth  during 
^  the  periods  of  time  they  use  these  local  names  to  represent,  than 
those  whose  remains  are  found  preserved  in  those  rocks.  It  is  no 
proof  that  no  other  species  lived  then  anywhere  else  on  earth,  nor 
even  where  they  are  found.     Tliere  were  doubtless  many  other  species 


I 


/'  u 


\ 


TPIE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


01. 


of  animals  and  plants  in  the  very  places  where  these  remains  are 
found  that  were  not  preserved,  that  died  and  went  to  dust,  as  we 
proved  in  regard  to  the  flowers  of  the  forest  in  their  carbmiferous  age.  Q 

If  these  systems  of  rocks  formed  slowly,  or  otherwise,  they  do  not 
know  when  it  was  done.  Neither  how  long  it  took  them  to  form. 
Nor  has  the  earth  ever  had  any  s.uch  periods  of  time  as  they  claim 
for  her  by  these  local  names.  Neither  is  there  any  reason  at  all  to 
suppose  that  every  species  of  animal  or  plant  had  a  representative 
caught  in  these  rocks  as  they  formed  and  held  in  its  organized  form 

by  them. 

If  it  was  a  live  animal  it  could  get  out  of  the  way  before  the  strata 
would  form.  If  it  was  dead  it  would  decompose  before  the  slTata 
could  form,  which,  they  say,  formed  very  slowly.  So  it  must  have  been 
caught  alive  by  some  sudden  catastrophe;  or  it  may  have  died  there 
and'^the  peculiar  preserving  powers  of  nature  in  that  place  held  it  as 
it  is  found.  It  would  be  utterly  impossible  for  those  strata  to 
embrace  some  of  every  species  of  plants  and  animals  then,  or  at  any 
time,  tha't  were  living  everywhere  on  earth.  The  fossils,  therefore, 
can  furnish  no  grounds  for  the  opinions  they  base  upon  them.  In 
every  place  where  fossils  are  found  are  chemical  properties  which 
prevent  their  decomposition.  Now  we  know  that  these  properties 
are  not  <'eneral  throughout  the  earth,  but  only  in  certain  localities; 
therefore,  it  is  obvious  that  they  could  not  embrace  all  the  species  of 
animals  and  of  plants  on  earth  at  any  given  time.  ,    ,      .„ 

For  instance,  there  are  waters  in  the  United  States  that  will  pet- 
rify trees  and  animals ;  but  how  small  a  part  of  the  waters  of  t_he 
United  States  do  they  represent?  Shall  we  conclude  no  other  species 
of  animals  or  plants  lived  at  the  time  those  lived,  that  are  petrihed, 
elsewhere  in  the  whole  United  States  or  on  the  whole  earth,  because 
their  remains  are  not  petrified  in  these  waters?  (^lite  as  reasonable 
would  it  be  as  for  them  to  claim  that  no  other  species  of  plants  or 
animals  and  not  a  human  being  lived  on  earth  unless  it  is  represented 
in  the  fossils  found  in  those  rocks.  When  no  one  except  the  Creator 
could  sift  the  dust  and  find  their  remains— the  remains  of  the  great 
majority  of  every  generation.  ,        .     ,  ^-      4^  ,.,... 

The  localities  where  there  are  sufficient  chemical  properties  to  pie- 
serve  any  organisms,  are  usually  uninviting  for  man's  ^^^^  f '^^"/ .^^ 
one  reason  no  human  remains  are  found  in  what,  they  e«/l  ^;^^t.ain 
ages  of  the  earth.  And  of  our  domestic  animals,  too ;  for  they  w eie 
about  his  habitations.  And  in  those  times  the  inviting  l^^^^s  were 
plentiful  and  mankind  comparatively  few,  a^  we  l^^^^^.^J^^^^^"  ^"  ^ 
first  ages  after  Creation;  and  again  after  the  flood  t^^^^ ,  ^^^^^^^^ 
most  desirable  for  cultivation  and  for  pasturage.  As  ^^ej^^^^  J?^^^^^ 
do  now  in  a  newly  opened  country;  and  as  the  hrst  white  settlers 
dUl  all  over  this  country.  Many  lands  they  refused  ha^^e  ^-ce  bee. 
found  to  be  valuable  for  men's  homes  and  their  pursuits  of  happiness. 
Mland  Ms  domestic  animals  in  all  those  early  times  we.e  nest  ed 
away  from  such  localities.     Living  in  the  "^9^^^  fayomb^^^^^^^^  t  e 

earth  for  farming  and  for  pasturage,  having  but  little  disposition,  and 
no  need  to  try  tl.ose  uninviting  parts  for  their  ^--^J^^  ^^ 
those  places  they  lived  happy  lives,   worshiping  (rod  as  He  had 


est 


,,.,  THK  STORY  OF  CRKATIOX. 

taught  them  t.>  do,  .ml  and  were  buried  in  earthy,  ^e^  oomn,on, 

4^re  there  are  not  ..henncal  P'-^;*'.''''^.  a      shine  forth  "in  the 
the  inevitable  hvw  of  d^'oomposition     'ind  .^h    I  .  li    ^^  ^^^^^^,  ^^ 

resiirrection  of  the  just  in  f  ^ett^er  s    te  tl  an    .01  ^^^^^^  ^^^_^ 

relic.  Providence,  too,  led  them,  and  P'^'^Jf  I*^^'' "'^^^^  ...jth  those 
sufficient  reasons  why  their  rerna,ns_ are  mt  found  ^.lon     v. 

inferior  creatures  written  about  '"  .*   ^  "['^p"  .^uJ  ;„  all   parts  of 

In  Florida  ^ve"-''i!JK"^'"'"  ,      i^ltllTtl  at  all  of  that  land, 
that  State.     The  peop  e  there  ^ave  «>o"!^  t  Jh^^  ^^^^l^  '      ,^  ^^^^  ^^.^^ 

therefore,  has  been  redeemed  by  nature  "'"^^P  ";"'^'^'' '"  p^.^r  goin- 
which  may  be  very  true,  '»'•■"«">• '^';''''f"."'';"i„''„'t  frrrer\vould 
on.     And  when  the  geolo<rist  comes  /."  %'"7"  Xst-r."      depos- 

TT^m     oiir<e   but  thev  themselves  are,  bein-  made  by  the  flood  or 
Z?o^X;po:il^ul^etion  of  water^  or  so.ne  ^hlen^  -;;X^^,^ 
that  part  of  the  earth.     It  is  surpnsin.^    wtl 'f^n^ls  on  rivrrs  or 
will  cover  an  objeet-as  logs  or  brush-in  J^^  l^rnor  ami  deep^^^^^ 
creeks,  and  every  succeeding  one  ^^Y^rs  it  deeper  «"^^^^^^^^^ 

firmer  and  firmer  becomes  the  earth  ;^^^^'^.      J^^^^^Vlc^vit^^^^^ 
Sometimes  land-slides  bury  up  a  good  deal  of  the  ^^^J^.^  .^^^^;^f^^^  ^^  ^^l. 
Thin-  on  it,  more  less  deep,  and  as  time  passes  those  thing,  ^^e  d    >> 
will  be  cm-ered-fhe  more  deeply.    Once,  as  I  was  traveling   n  upper 
;  eorgia,  a  man  hailed  me  as  I  was  about  to  7^^'^,^V"X  toD  of  t he 
''We  have  found  a  live  terrapin   several   ^^.^\^^\^^^.^  f  J^^^^^^ 
ground  imbedded  in  the  rocks  and  pebbles  in  this  ditch  v^e  are  d. 
SiL   nnd  I  don't  see  how  he  could  have  got  there  unless  he  N\as 
fn  l;d  t  lere  by  som^e  overflow  of  the  creek,  and  the  filling  up  of  some 
o  d  clnnei         He  had,  it  seems,  been  there  a  long  time,  but  I  don  t 
take  t.  as  a  witness  of  the  flood.     But  he  is  a  good,  --t^^^^;-- 
It  wa^  a  casualty  that  buried  him,  and  an  exception  in  nature  that 
preser^d  hi  n-al  ve  at  that.     Xo  man  could   tell  when   he  was  co^^ 
ered    nor  where  he  lived  before,  nor  how  old  he  was.  Shall  we  believe 
tliere  were  no  other  species  of  animals  then  living  contemponiry  wit  i 
him,  because  they  were  not  found  with  him  thus  P^f/^^'^^J    .^"  ^" 
that  has  been  found,  there  is  no  better   proof   than  that,    that    tliis 
world  was  occupied,  as  we  might   geologically  say,  in   that  age,    pv 
nothin-  but  terrapins.     Geologically,  that  was  the  terrapin  age;  tor 
nature'didn't  take  care  of  any  other  organism  there  but  that  terrapin. 
One  of  their  periods  they  call   the  age  of  reptiles,     Every  age   has 
been  an  age  of  reptiles,  it  seems,  since  the   first  trouble    in    Adam  s 
family,  or  there  would  be  none  in  the  world  now.  If  their  theory  was 
tj-ue   they  could  beat  St.  Patrick  banishing  snakes;  not  only  ridding 
their  own  coufitry  of  them,  but  all   the  earth.     However,    they   say 
that  age  is  past ;  yet  the  snakes  are   here ;  we  see  some  every  year. 
Not  long  since,  our  government  sent  a  geologist  to  the  Philippines  to 
study  tiie  geology  of  that  country,  and  report  for  the  public  beneht. 


THE  STORY  OF  CPvEATION. 


m. 


/ 


He  said,  wliile  out  there,  he  sailed  through  what  he  called  a  sea  of 
snakes;  that  they  were  so  numerous  he  could  form  no  approximate 
idea  of  their  number  to  the  square  mile.  It  would  seem  from  that, 
that  the  age  of  reptiles  has  not  yet  ended.  They  were  not  the  dead 
and  fossilized  snakes  of  the  geologists,  but  live  ones,  and  dangerous, 

at  that.  ^      i.         1 

In  those  places  where  mica  is  found,  are  hard  strata  of  rock  asso- 
ciated with  it,  which  are  leaders  to  men  from  the  surface— or  near  it, 
to  guide  tliem  to  the  treasure  below,  where  it  is  found  in  a  state  suf- 
ficient for  commerce.  Now  if  the  strata  of  the  whole  eartli  are  like 
they  are  in  Siluria,  then  they  are  everywhere  like  they  are  in  the 
mica  mines,  and  you  may  find  mica  anywhere  in  sutficient  quantity 
and  size  for  comnierce  ;  but  on  the  contrary,  we  know  that  it  is  a  very 
linuted  portion  of  our  country  where  it  will  pay  to  mine  for  it. 

The  same  is  true  of  iron  and  of  every  metal.  And  the  same  is  true 
in  regard  to  fossils.  They  are  found  where  are  chemical  properties 
sufRcient  to  preserve  them  in  their  organic  forms.  And  as  gold  and 
every  metal  has  its  peculiarities  of  environments,  so  have  fossils;  and 
are  no  more  proof  as  to  what  was,  or  was  not,  in  the  whole  earth  at 
any  time  those  living  things  moved  on  the  earth,  than  that  a  man  can 
find  gold  anywhere  because  it  is  somewhere.  ,   .         .  . 

Now,  they  speak  of  a  coal  age,  say  it  ceased  and  a  dilTerent  ago  sot 
in.  It  is  not  correct  to  say  the  coal  age,  or  any  other  age,  ot  the 
earth  ended  and  another  age  followed  it.  Such  statements  are  with- 
out facts  in  nature  to  support  them.  As  long  as  materia  for  coal 
making  is  brought  in  contact  with,  the  conditions  for  coal  making, 
coal  will  be  made.  It  may  be  that  Providence  is  having  nature  to 
make  coal  now  for  future  generations.  They  are  not  authorized  to 
say  that  either  providence  or  nature  has  ceased  making  eoai. 

Just  so  in  regard  to  gold,  silver  and  all  oth^^r  metals.  As  He  gave 
orders-  to  man  and  to  animals  of  all  kinds,  under  His  blessings,  to 
multiply  and  fill  the  earth  with  their  progenies  after  their  kinds  so 
by  analogy,  we  may  suopose  the  vegetable  kingdom  was  under  like 
orders;  and,  perhaps  the  mineral  kingdom  likewise  t  is  a  reason- 
able supposition  that  some  rock,  coal,  and  some  of  al  mineral  s  b- 
stances  and  some  of  all  metals,  were  made  in  (i-eation,  and  h.ne 
increased  more  or  less  rapidly  through  all  time;  as  man  and  animals 
and  plants,  onlv  after  their  species.  vA-.^^^f 

There  is  no  proof  anywhere  to  be  found  that  nature  has  .^Cerent- 
times  for  making  different  things.  Every  farmer  knows  it  is  not 
true;  for  he  sees  her  making  wheat,  oats,  corn  cot  on  ^^eeds  and 
grasi  at  the  same  time.  No,  she  can  and  does  do  all  at  o"ce  She 
never  stops  making  these  in  order  to  make  rocks.  ^^l^'Zlnev^r 
her  works  together  in  one  grand  course ;  grander  far  tla  ^^"^^ 
conceived  of.  All  the  theories  of  the  philosophers  are  ^f  ^^^^^ 
bv  her-  she  r3avs  no  attention  to  them;  but  moves  on  in  that  beau 
t^iful  and  peSvc^t  course  in  which  her  Creator  started  her  at  the 
beginning. 


94. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION 
CHAPTER  XIII. 


In  the  Gospel  we  read  that  the  rocks  were  rent  when  Christ  tri- 
un  phld  over  i  e  .emies  in  hell  and  earth.  (Matt.  27  :50-r,4.  As  he 
g  ave^were  opened,  their  victims  released-after  His  -surrec  lo  ^ 
so  in  all  probabilitv  hidden  nature  somewhere,  by  means  of  that 
ear  quake  an  thoie  rent  rocks,  may  have  craic^ht  some  then  hvln^^ 
sacrifices  as  memorials  in  her.elf  of  that  notable  event  and  preserved 
them,  as  many  other  silent  witnesses. 

I  knew  a  -ood   man,  who,  whenever  he  saw  any  of  those  lents    n 
lar,e  rocks!   would  speak  of  the  cruciiixion       Dante  teaches  tin  t 
rocks  were  rent  in   hell  at  that   great   event,     (Canto  21 :11<).)     bt 
Paul  teaches  that  tlie  death  of  Christ  on    the  <.ross  had  <^«e^*^/^^^" 
upon   things  under  the  earth-understood   to  me.m    t»i^  ^l^P^'^^^^! 
],erdition.     Doubtless  it  made  them  see  the  more  clearly  the  justness 
of  their  doom,  and  in  that  sense,  become  the  more  reconciled  to  the 
sentence  of  their  condemnation.     (Col.    1:20.)     All     hmgs,  in   some 
wav,  includes  them.     (Phil.  2  :8-lO,  Rev.  T)  ::i-D5.)     That  in  Clin st   it 
WIS  fommuted   to  a  life,  immortal    sentence,   for  so   is  the   second 
death,  rather  than  annihilation  of  being.     As   in   this   life,  any   sane 
person  will   choose  to  live  in  much  suttering  rather  than  die ;  so  in 
that  state  it  is  a  lesser  evil  to  exist  and  suffer,  t^'^»"^[>.,h%^l^|™  ^^"^ 
of  existence.     Neither  did  St.  Paul  choose  to  die   Phil.  1  ^^^'^^  "^^^* 
Christ,  Luke  22  :42,  but  both  submitted  to  the  will  of  Crod.     Ihe  love 
of  existence  so  inheres  in  our  common  nature,  that  even  a  devil  and 
a  lost  soul  can  thank  Christ  for  continued  being. 

Some  of  the  breaks  and  splits  in  earth's  strata  were  no  doubt  made 
then  Perhaps  the  testimony  of  the  rocks  to  that  event  are  in  all 
the  earth  todav.  So  it  is  just  for  us  to  expect  to  find  rended  rocks, 
and,  perhaps,  holding  victims,  too.  But  I  do  not  claim  to  know  the 
dates  of  any  of  them.  Neither  do  I  think  any  other  man  knows  them. 
In  theology  it  is  said,  however,  that  the  periods  and  the  epochs 
vary  in  diff'erent.countries.  Then  the  time  of  the  formation  of  the 
strata,  if  it  could  be  known,  would  have  no  bearing  as  to  fixing  any 
date  in  the  earth's  history.  And  much  rather,  could  not  have  any 
influence  on  the  question' as  to  how  long  the  earth  has  existed. 

The  question  of  how  long  the  earth  has  stood  does  not  come  within 
the  realm  of  any  science.  It  is  a  question  that  science  has  no  means 
of  answering.  Nor  has  philosophy.  How  much  rather,  then,  shall 
all  hypotheses  fail  to  answer  it. 

Yet,  some  write  as  if  they  knew  all  about  nature.  Rut  there  are 
many  things  done  in  nature,  almost  daily,  in  common  things,  that 
they  do  not  understand.  For  instance,  a  man  lays  away  his  buggy 
harness;  when  he  wishes  to  use  it  again,  it  is  not  only  tangled, 
but  the  lines  are  often  tied  into  knots.  Now  they  do  not  know  how 
those  lines  could  tie  themselves  into  knots.  Yet  I've  often  found 
mine  so.  Again,  he  sits  down  to  sew  on  a  button;  presently  his 
thread  is  tied  into  knots.  Now  these  .writers  don't  know  how  that 
thread  could  tie  knots  in  itself.  They  may  say  it  is  natural  for 
twisted  thread  to  kink.  But  that  don't  show  how  it  can  tie  itself 
into  pretty  knots,  as  if  done  by  hands  of  skill;  or,  if  otherwise,  how 


a  \ 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


95. 


\ 


I    Vv>' 


/  IX 


I 


these  knots  happened  to  be  formed  in  it  even  by  the  twist. 

A  horse  may  be  ever  so  well  groomed,  but  let  him  loose  and  as  soon 
as  he  sees  a  bed  of  sand  or  fresh  plowed  land,  he  will  lie  down  and 
wallow.  They  don't  know  why  the  horse  wanted  dirt  on,  or  in,  his 
clean  coat  of  hair.  They  may  say  it  is  his  nature  to  wallow.  But 
they  don't  know  why  he  will  want  to  wallow  soon  after  he  is  well 
curried  and  brushed.  So  with  many  things  that  are  written;  they 
are  hardly  worthy  to  be  called  opinions. 

I  do  not  blame  them  for  not  knowing.  I  blame  them  for  stating 
things  for  facts  that  no  man  on  earth  can  know.  If  they  would  leave 
out  all  the  hypotheses  it  would  be  better  for  them  before  Ood,  and 
for  the  science,  too,  in  the  judgment  of  men.  It  will  never  be  a 
science  until  they  do.  The  teaching  of  the  pulpit  must  agree  with 
the  Bible.  Science  and  pliilosophy  must  agree  with  nature  or  they 
have  no  authority  at  all.  Nature  is  the  true  standard  for  art,  and 
the  law  of  science.  No  true  science  contradicts  nature.  Ueology 
will  have  to  reduce  herself  within  the  limits  of  nature  before  she  will 

be  a  true  science.  , 

In  speaking  of  human  progress  upon  the  earth,  we  may  correctly 
say  so  I  think,  the  antediluvian  age,  the  iwst-diluvian  age,  the 
Christian  era,  and  so  on,  but  the  earth  herself  has  never  had  but  one 
at^e.  That  has  been  from  her  beginning  till  now;  and  will  ('ontinue 
unto  her  end.     All  of  her  time  is  embraced  in  the  one  period  .d  her 

existence. 

Of  old  the  heathen  worshipped  stocks  and  stones  straight  out. 
Now  some  in  civilized  countries  do  it  indirectly.  As  my  grand- 
father used  to  say  of  a  crooked  thing,  "whipping  the  devil  around 
the  stump."  They  will  go  to  a  rock  and  ask,  "How  old  are  you.^ 
Can't  vou  tell  us  how  old  this  earth  is?"  How  much  better  to  goto  the 
living  Word  of  the  living  God,  to  the  Creator's  own  account— the 
only  oracle  that  can  approximate  a  correct  and  comfortable  answer. 

CHAPTER  NIV. 

If  the  sheep  did  not  get  his  species  at  Creation,  on  the  sixth  day, 
nobody  on  earth  can  tell  when  or  wheiv  he  got  it.  Doubtless  he  ^vas 
the  first  used  in  sacrifice  for  man's  benefit.  So  with  the  cow.  ^o 
doubt  but  she  was  the  iirst  to  furnish  milk  for  Adam  s  family.  And 
the  same  is  true  in  regard  to  the  species  of  every  living  thing  in  this 
world.     That  was  the  origin  of  species  u„ftUof 

The  women  improve  their  poultry  by  crossing  breeds;  but  that 
never  changes  a  species.  They  cross  chickens  with  ^  ^^^'^ens;  not 
chickens  with  ducks,  or  any  other  fowl.  But  on  y  in  the  ^Pe^'^es  o 
each.  If  the  species  is  crossed  over,  it  is  said  by  naturalists  when 
left  to  themselves,  tliey  will  after  a  few  generations  go  back  to  their 
own  species  on  both  sides.     Thus  nature  regulates  herseJf. 

So  with  the  larger  animals.  Crossing  them  does  "ot  change  llie 
species.  Neither  will  any  kind  of  cultivation  change  t^^  ,^P^^^^^- 
The  cultivation  in  mankind,  from  a  savage  stae  to  ?^^'^^^^ 
tions,  does  not  interfere  with  racial  lines.  All  the  ^^1*^;^, f  ^^^  f^^^^.^^ 
still  exist.     So  do  all  the  special  peculiarities  of  animals  and  fo^^ls 


90. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION 


remaiii  under  domestic-  improvement.  The  tlieory  of  evoliitioiniry 
chanj^e  of  species  is  unsupported  ;  it  exists  nowhere  in  nature,  liotii 
the  origin  and  tlie  law  of  species  came  from  tlie  Almighty,  and  was 
lixed  in  that  day  when  He  created  everything?  after  its  kind.  H"  any 
have  perished  it  was  agreeable  to  His  will.  If  any  new  ones  have 
come  into  existence,  it  was  His  Creation  since  the  first.  But  nothing 
has  ever  changed  its  species;  no  man  has  any  experience  of  it ;  none 
have  ol)servatron  of  it ;   no  history  nor  tradition  proves  it. 

Natural  selection  and  survival  of  the  lUtest  are  only  ideal.  There 
are  no  facts  to  support  them.  You  may  ol)serve  a  flock  of  geese ;  the 
old  gander  will  try  to  whip  otT  the  young  gander,  but  he  will  notliold 
his  ground  long.  If  he  could  he  is  no  better  than  the  young  one. 
Just  so  in  a  ^zang  of  chickens.  The  old  rooster  will  try  to  keep  off 
the  young  one;  but  he  will  not  hold  his  lield  long.  So  it  is  with  all 
our  domestic  fowls;  and  so  it  is  with  them  in  the  wild  state. 

The  same  is  true  in  a  flock  of  sheep,  goats,  too;  cattle,  hogs  and 
horses;  both  domestic  and  wild.  And  any  farmer  knows  that  any  of 
the  females  will  mate  with  any  of  the  males. 

There  is  nothing  in  them  to  found  such  a  principle  upon;  nor  is 
there  any  such  practice  among  them.  As  to  the  males  whipping  one 
another/ they  are  about  an  equal  match,  so  for  one  to  succeed  to 
much  extent  is  uncommon.  And  that  depends  more  upon  their 
courage  and  activity  than  upon  size  and  strength.  I  have  seen  a 
comparatively  small  dog  whip  a  large  one;  and  have  seen  a  small 
horse  whip  a'large  one;  and  a  small  bull  out  hook  a  large  one.  If  it 
be  a  fact  that  any  hirge  animals  have  lost  existence,  perhaps,  it  was 
because  they  were  too  clumsy  or  lacked  courage  to  sustain  tliem- 
selves  in  the  conflict  in  the  animal  kingdom. 

Every  creature  has  its  own  weapon  of  defence.  The  small  ones 
succeed  as  well  as  aiiy.  The  large  ones  that  cannot  resist  poison, 
will  give  a  plenty  of  room  to  those  that  have  a  poisonous  weapon; 
and  to  all  the  stinging  ones,  too.  Bees  sometimes  stitig  a  horse  or 
mule  to  death.  There  is  a  small  blood-sucking  animal  in  some 
quarters  of  the  earth  that  mounts  or  leaps  from  a  tree  upon  a  large 
animal  and  fixes  itself  on  the  back  or  shoulders  of  the  animal  where 
he  can't  brush  it  olf.  The  animal  will  jump,  stamp  and  run  to  get 
rid  of  it,  but  finally  succund)s  to  its  little  foe  through  exhaustion. 

Among  men,  the  large  on(»s  cannot  do  any  better  fighting  than 
small  ones.  The  little  Japs  were  too  much  for  the  big  Chinese. 
Napoleon  was  considered  the  best  fighter  of  his  times;  but  was  so 
small  of  stature  that  his  soldiers  called  hiui  "the  little  corporal.'' 
St.  Paul  was  the  bravest  x^reacher  of  his  day,  yet  in  stature  was  the 
little  Benjaminite. 

One  reason  why  the  old  giants  were  killed  out  is,  perhaps,  because 
they  could  not  succeed  against  their  common  size  enemies.  The 
Bible  tells  of  many  of  them  being  killed  in  wars. 

The  ancients  believed  that  after  the  flood  the  physical  stature  of 
men  diminished.  If  so,  then  by  analogy  with  other  divine  interposi- 
tions upon  mankind,  it  would  proportionately  affect  beasts  also.  So 
the  same  species,  under  that  law  would  be  smaller  tlian  formerly.  If 
there  is  anything  in  the  survival  of  the  fittest,  it  would  ]>e  rather  in 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


1)7. 


t^ 


/ 


k 


;* 


favor  of  a  smaller  physical  stature  in  mankind,    for  the  permanent 
size,  and  a  proportionate  smaller  size  in    beasts,  for   greater   utility, 

])Ut  no  change  in  species. 

Of  course  any  trader  or  raiser  can   improve  his  aniinals,  b\it  that 
uever  changes  a  species.     We  can  improve  the  human  family,  and  it 
is   agreeable  to   the  will   of   Ood   for  us  to  do  so,  but  it  makes  no 
chairge  in  the  human   species.     \Ve   see   among  people   in   a   highly 
civilized   country    as   great    dillerence    in    their    refinement   as   we 
do  in  the  degree'of  knowledge  among  them.     In  the  same  profession 
some  are  more  highly  developed  than  others.     So  in  every  craft  and 
art  followed  by  numkind.     The  same  is  true  among  Christians.    It  is 
His  will  that  we  all  make  the  best  use  we  can  of  native  genius,  edu- 
cation and  of  grace ;  as  He  gives  to  each   for  purposes  of  His  own 
o-lory  in  mankind.     But  the   evolutionary   tlieory  gains  nothing  by 
any'of  these  things.     Agassiz  does    not    .^ay    evolution,  but   higher 
creations  from  separate  slips  and  distinct  human   species.     If  you 
say  it  is  in  order  of  the  racial  divisions  of  mankind,  it  agrees  neither 
with  the  Bible  nor  ordinarv  human  history.     As  far  back  as  we  have 
any   intelligence    outside    of   the    Bible,  from    written    history,   pen 
descriptions  of  m«n  and  women,  from  mummies,  sculpture,  painting 
and  drawing,  we  see  all  along  the  same  general  contour  for  men  and 
women  that  we  see  before  our  eyes  today.     The  same  divisions  ')f  the 
race  dwelling  on  the  earth  in  all  ages,  since  the  division  of  the  one 
race,  ((rcn.   11  :l-9),  known  by  any  means  to  us,  have   prevailed  as 
they  do  now.     This  could  not  have  been  done  by  evolution.     No  s^et 
of  apes  could  ever  have  done  it;  nor  could  nature  have  done  it  by 
apes.     The  presumption  from  what  we  learn,  outside  the  Bible  on 
the  subiect,  agrees  with  what  we  gather  from  the  Bible  on  it. 

The  improvement  goes  on  in  each  division  of  the  race  without 
brinWn<^  the  lowest  up  to  the  highest;  and  that  without  ever  cross- 
iR<r  a  sin-le  racial  line.  The  higher  divisions  of  the  race  are  as  far 
different  from  the  lower  in  their  general  contour  of  physique  an(l 
mentalitv  as  before.  The  improvements  do  not  demark  the  lines  ot 
divisions  of  the  race  as  far  back  as  known  to  us  from  any  earhest 
information  of  mankind  since  the  divisions  began.  As  in  the  human 
i'amilv  the  only  improvement  we  can  make  is  within  racial  lines;  so 
in  the  animals  and  vegetables,  the  only  real  improvement  we  can 
make  is  within  their  special  lines.  They  do  not  and  cannot  improve 
themselves,  nor  do  they  ever  change  to  a  dilferent  species. 

But  some  writers  say  new  species  have  been  introduced.  And 
why'^  Because  there  were  no  remains  of  the  domestic  animals  found 
preserved  with  the  inferior  creatures,  until  in  what  t^hey  claim  to  be 
later  deposits.  We  have  shown  how  that  is  agreeable  to  nature  as 
well  as  to  the  Bible;  and  because  none  of  man's  remains  are  found 
preserved  until  still  later,  as  they  claim,  he  did  not  exist^  ""^^^^^^^ 
ater  than  his  domestic  animals.  We  have  ^hown,  too,  hmv  that  is 
agreeable- to  nature  as  well  as  to  the  Bible,  and  that  the  /ossils  ur 
nTsh  no  proof  for  the  arrival  of  any  new  species,  and  no  p  oof 
tlllt  they^have  not  all  been  in  the  world  since  the  first  were-since 
the  fifth  or  sixth  day  of  Creation. 

Soniohavo  arRUcl  that  animal,  may  .-hange  thein.olves  by  exorcvs- 


\\ 


98. 


THE  STOEY  OF  CREATION. 


ing  tlieir  muscles.  To  some  extent  they  may.  You  can  train  them 
to  eat  more  and  more,  or  you  can  use  them  to  do  on  less,  and  be 
better  for  it.  So  we  can,  by  use,  enlarj^e  our  natural  powers.  For 
instance,  at  the  beginninjL,'  of  a  watermelon  season,  a  man  will  have 
power  to  eat  only  a  smnll  quantity,  but  by  eatinjif  more  every  day,  in 
a  few  weeks  he  will  be  able  to  eat  all  of  the  ripe  part  of  the  half  of  an 
averaj:^e  size  one  without  inconvenince  to  himself. 

So  can  we  enlarj^e  our  mental  faculties  and  moral  powers,  too. 
We  may  resist  temptation  and  grow  stronger,  or  yield  and  become 
weaker,  and  by  cultivating  moral  goodness  our  spiritual  features  will 
iniprove.  "As  in  water  face  answers  to  face,  so  the  heart  of  man  to 
man."  (Prov.  27:19).  In  the  expression  of  the  eye,  as  a  poet  says, 
'The  heart  speaks  most  when  the  lips  move  not ;  and  the  eyes  whis- 
per a  gentle  good  bye." 

Lamarck  suggested  that  animals  might  change  their  species  in 
several  generations,  using  their  organs  to  gratify  their  arising  and 
increasing  wants,  but  there  is  not  an  example  of  it  yet  found.  He 
suggested  the  giraffe,  as  he  had  the  longest  neck  of  any  to  his  size; 
accused  him  of  stretching  to  reach  higher,  but  there  is  no  probability 
that  it  did  not  go  back  to  its  natural  length  every  time,  a.s  does  the 
turkey  gobbler's,  and  the  turtle's,  too.  If  there  is  any  creature  that 
would  make  its  neck  any  longer  than  it  is,  by  nature,  I  think  it 
would  be  a  cow,  for  when  she  gets  hold  of  a  peach  tree  it  seems  she  will 
never  let  it  go  unt  il  she  reaches  the  top  bud  ;  but  when  she  gets  the  last 
one  she  .-an  reach,  her  neck  goes  back  the  same  length  it  was  before. 
I  know  one  myself,  I  think,  can  beat  any  giraffe  stretching  her  neck, 
and  all  of  her  calves  have  necks  of  only  ordinary  lengths.  I  never 
have  known  the  very  worst  of  them  to  make  theiV  necks  any  longer 
by  stretching  them  to  get  forbidden  things.  It  seems  that  if  any- 
thing could  make  its  neck  longer  than  it  naturally  is,  it  would  be' a 
certain  class  of  human  beings  who  stretch  their  necks  peering  into 
things  other  folks  don't  wish  them  to  see.  The  philosophers  needn't 
go  to  Africa  for  examnles,  we  can  furnish  enough  nearer  home. 

I  never  saw  a  creature  appear  more  innocent  than  the  giraffe,  nor 
better  contented.  There  is  no  deceit  in  him,  either;  my  opinion  is 
he  never  tried,  nor  desired,  nor  ever  had  any  want  for  any  power  he 
hasn't  got.  Verily,  it  must  be  a  slander  on  him.  I  do  not  think  any 
creature  on  earth  ever  rebelled  against  its  Creation,  unless  it  was  some 
human  being.  And  how?  By  refusing  to  till  the  natural  functions 
of  human  life  and  of  religion. 

There  was  a  four-toed  animal  found  preserved  in  the  tertiary  rocks. 
The  evolutionists  want  to  claim  him  as  the  progenitor  of  the"^  horse* 
if  they  are  in  earnest,  I  think  they  are  mistaken.  I  do  not  think  it 
was  a  horse ;  I  believe  the  horse  has  been  in  the  world  in  his  perfect 
state  ever  since  the  sixth  day  of  Creation.  The  first  mention  of  the 
horse  in  history  is  in  Genesis  49  :1(),  by  the  patriarch  Jacob.  It  shows 
that  that  animal  was  familiarly  known  at  that  time— was  iil  common 
use.  They  were  common  in  the  Egyptian  army  when  the  children  of 
Israel  left  Egypt.  (Ex.  U  :9.)  The  Hebrews  were  forbidden  to  eat  them 
because  they  did  not  part  the  hoof,  but  had  sound  hoofs  as  ours  have 
today.     If  they  have  not  chan  <ed  since  then,  it  is  a  strong  evidence 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


99 


I 


^^ 


> 


y 


that  they  have  always  been  as  they  are  now,  which,  doubtless,  is  the 
truth.  There  is  no  evidence  that  Adam's  horses  were  in  any  way 
different  from  ours;  if  they  were,  it  must  have  l)een  in  size  and 
strength.  Providence  has  provided  him  as  the  helper  of  mankind  m 
all  ag'es  since  Adam  and  Eve  were  expelled  from  the  Oarden  of  E«len. 
No  doubt  he  was  the  first  to  submit  to  man's  authority— to  yield  his 
strength  for  man's  use— and  that  by  the  will  of  Him  who  put  him  in- 
subjection  to  man.  Doubtless,  he  was  one  of  the  last  to  go  into  a 
wild  state,  and  not  then,  perhaps,  until  many  men  had  gone  into  a 

wild  and  savage  state.  .         .       ,       u   ^ 

We  may  improve  our  fowls  and  all  of  our  domestic  animals,  but 
material,  essential  nature  never  improves;  she  is  always  in  herself 
perfect  When  Christ  said  on  the  cross,  '^t  is  finished,"  redemption 
per  se  was  perfect;  nothing  has  been  added  since.  The  mass  offered 
for  the  quick  and  the  dead  does  not  touch  it.  And  when  the  last 
chapter  of  Revelation  was  closed.  He  forbid  any  addition  to  it  or  sub- 
traction from  it.  It  was  perfect;  has  so  stood  unto  this  day;  shall 
so  stand  forever ;  it  shall  not  change.  .)  ust  so,  and  by  a^nalogy,  too^ 
When  at  the  beginning  of  the  seventh  day.  He  finished  His  w^ork  of 
Creation,  nature  per  se  was  perfect.  Nothing  has  since  been  added  to 
her,  nor  anything  taken  from  her;  she  gets  neither  better  nor  wor.se. 
She  was  perfected ;  has  ever  so  stood,  (Cen.  2:1,  Ex   20 :  11. 

So  true  has  she  ever  been  to  herself  and  to  all  of  her  laws,  she  has 
severely  reproved  those  who  have  imposed  upon  her.  As  I  have  heard 
it  said,  mules  and  mulattoes  are  not  God's  work,  but  man  s.  More 
truly  it  might  be  said  of  those  monsters  begotten  between  mankind 
and-beastsrwhich  thing  He  forbids  in  His  written  word  All  of  these 
unnatural,  abominable  practices  forbidden  in  the  J^^»b'«'.^"^^^"  ^^^'^ 
common  law,  were  done  by  the  heathen  He  says  so  m  ^^vmg  thos^^^ 
laws  against  them.  There  are  antecedents  that  ^^^^^P.^^,  "^ 
legislation  ;  and  the  Lord  Himself  gives  the  antecedents  that  led  p 
to  this  Divine  enactment  against  those  crimes,  (Lev.   18.2i-»5U  and 

^^Vht^\lmi-hty  bore  witness  against  the  Canaanites;  and  doubtless 
the  lower  sava-e  tribes  were  worse  than  they.     It  may  be  that  tliose 

clous  ooki^creatures  partly  in  man's  form,  and  more  in  the  form 
o  beasts,  are  ^om  that  iource.  But  for  one  reason  i  Wd  be 
nhiusible  Mules  do  not  form  a  sub-.species  between  hor^es  and  asses, 
ni!  few  instances  however,  it  is  said,  mules  have  been  known  to 
eeneJate  wSr  there  could  be  a  sub-species  established  between 
L";  and  any  beast,  I  do  not  know,  but  it  is  certain  tha  ^  nat-e  will 
shame  them  with  an  offspring;  she  has  done  it.  I  don  t  ti  nk, 
t  oiT4  that  the  Lord  is  displeased  with  men  for  producing  mules, 
i™^^^^  l^ave  been  more  useful   than  asses  or  horses ; 

butT     ink  it  is  cer  ain  that  He  didn't  want  any  mulattoes.     If  nat- 

;tl' instinct  had   been   obeyed,   there   would   have   been   n^ther^ 
N.iture  of  herself  would  never  a  mule  nor  mulatto  produce.     <^"^»J^ 
ho^e    he  vv^f^  inan  forced  the  one,  and  himself  down  to  the  other. 
And  the  yank  was  as  quickly  guilty  as  the  southron, 
v>-For  in  this  their  nature  is  the  same. 

Whether  from  the  rim  or  '^liub"  they  came. 


^ 


10C». 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


101. 


Thev  knew  -it  was  n  sin:  and  jij;luime/' 
Yet'tlu'V  (iid  it  a.i^nin  and  a.<,min. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


the  apes  evolved  men.     The  speeiniens 


c 

OSS 


the  apos  m-olved  men.      . ..,   -i"    '  ";  ,    ,  ,^„,  ,.|<..„.iv  Imninn. 

tries,  for  the  most  pm-t,  'l^l'^-'^''^/'"":^,',  :  Vmo  slers  that  partake 
Sava-'e  eountries  are  the  haunts  of  tlio-,e  \\u^}  V  ,  , '  „,.,..  u'^  ^.j-oss 
both  of  heastlyan.l  of  human  appearance;  an.l   thej  maj     be.ido.. 


j;,;;  proof  is  >.-^^>^  ^-^^^  s  ^:;:"^!:y  mr^tir'ti^at 
s::ir;vr  ikt'  ir:  ::f  X  of  ,o.  ^^-..05,,..,.  of  ..a.,  po.e. 

oped  next  to  that  imitation,  every  other  f"'-"'?^  »'""*!*, \'^, '",7  '  .j 
Wn  ease  of  low  .levelopment  of  brain  power,  but  he  '^ '>«""! ';." 
his'^kuU  sl,ouh.  he  fo>,'n,l  years  henee   it  -.uW  b^a  cnmos.ty  ,.  t   e^ 

^:i^.  ;:im  "^  iur  ;Us  of '  to!:-;:.:^,  r;h:i;nt*  ean .. 

refem-d  to    n  eivnize.!  eountries  wlueh  we  know   to  he   human    and. 
Tf  Vou -e    we  wo   Id  expeet  more  of  then,  by  far  in  sava^'e  countru.s 
Some  a^es  have  more  of  instinet  than    son,e   human    he,nj,s   have  ot 
reason,  but,  human  is  Iniman.  and  apes  are  only  apes. 

It  would  insult  the  ne-roes  to  tell  them  they  eame  from  apes  It 
the V;-  a  ever  evolved  any,  they  would  have  ^'-n  f.tr  umre  hk 
to  have  been  blaek.  It  would  be  a  hard  matter  to  got  a  ^O.ito  .<•  " 
out  an  ape-  or  even  a  negro.  It  is  aetually  too  foohsh  to  talk 
a  lout  anvwa'v  X  on.-e  hear.l  of  a  preaoher-a  white  man-that  sa,d 
he. Uclnt  believe  the  negroes  had  any  soul;  the  negroes  boycotted 
him,  he  left  the  country  on  account  of  it.  .„     ,    , 

Some  writers  are  much  interested  it>  the  apes:    if  they  wiH   study 
.eseSerptnres   Exodus  -22 :19,  Peuteronon.y  27:21   an,l   Lev.t,cus 
•41^  perhapi,  they  will  get  a  better  idea  of  their  ong.n.     I  do 
t  sav   h^t  flu's  Is  the  origin  of  apes,  but  it  is  fav  ™ore  probaWe 
than  that  of  the  evolutionists.     If  our  legislatures  had  not  behoved 
had  ten  done,  and  might  be  done,  they  would  not  have  passed 


thes 

18 

not 


• 


J 

(I  A 


For  'iome  reason  or  other,  tlie  Lord  forbids  it.  It  may  not  only  be 
because  it  is  a  sin  a^^ainst  nature,  but  to  keep  each  in  its  own  species 
In  His  providence,  as  well  as  in  His  written  le<,nslature,  He  has  had 
an  eye  to  keepin^,^  everything'— animal,  plant  and  luunan— pure  after 
its  own  kind.  It  has  been  done,  except  where  man  has  interfered 
with  the  course  of  nature.  Then,  nature  to  herself  and  to  her  laws 
is  ever  so  true  that  she  responds  to  wickedness  as  well  as  to  ri^'ht- 
eousness,  to  vice  as  well  as  to  virtue,  which  is  one  reason  why  the 
wicked  prosper.  Thus,  she  scares  or  shames  them  ol!  from  their  evil 
practices.  ^Manv  a  -uilty  one  has  been  shocked  and  exposed  by 
nature's  faithfulness  to  her  laws.  Perhaps,  after  awhile,  those  who 
are  a  law  unto  themselves,  Roman  2:14,  bein-  rebuked  by  nature, 
were  ashamed  of  themselves,  and  afraid,  too,  of  the  monsters  they 
had  been  the  means  of  brinoin-  into  the  world,  separated  from  them 
and  quit  the  vile  practice,  at  least,  for  the  most  part. 

To  impress  puritv  of  blood  upon  mankind,  as  well  as  holiness  of 
heart  and  life,  the  Lord  also  ifiade  laws— for  the  time  bein-— a-ainst 
mixin-  other  thinj^^s,  as  woolen  and  linen  cloth  in  the  same^  j^nvrment 
Joseph's  coat  of  many  colors,  no  doubt,  was  all  of  wool.  Barley  and 
wheat  were  not  to  b(^  sown  together:  the  cow  and  the  ass  were  not  to 
be  yoked  to-ether;  the  ox  and  the  horse  were  to  be  worked  separate. 
(Lev.  19:19,  Deut.  22:9-18  and  Lev.  26:10.)       ,  .     ^.     ^  ,  i     .  ^f 

It  is  His  providence  working  through  natural  instincts  and  love  of 
kind,  that  has  kept  the  living  creatures  within  ^^^f '.^^^''l.^^P;^*^;,^-  J^l 
is  fortunate  for  all  that  it  is  so.  The  purposes  of  Creation  nor  our 
continual  interest  could  not  be  served  if  they  were  to  mix. 

Suppose  all  our  domestic  animals  were  to  mix  up,  and  ^^e  had  no 
real  horses,  no  real  cows,  no  real  sheep,  no  real  hogs,  and  so  on  we 
would  be  in  a  fix.  Extend  the  thought  on  and  on  until  here  are  no 
rea  men  and  women  in  the  world,  then  you  will  not  only  be  thank- 
fu  tliTt  nature  is  so  conservative,  but  that  the  Lord  has  prevented 
the  mixil.g  of  species,  and,  too,  that  the  teaching  of  the  evolutionists 

''  Were'irnot  for  the  regulations  of  the  Creator  in  these  things,  we 
mi  It  have  no  nice  horses,  no  good  milk  and  butter,  no  nice  wool, 
orhim'  reallv  sweet,  sweet  and  bitter  mixed  together  food  and  poi- 
soTmixed  toirether ;  we  would  be  afraid  to  eat  or  drink  anything  for 
su  1    wo^^^^^^^^  sWte  of  things  if   nature  was  not  constructed  as 

s  e   s       \     would,  or  might  be,  n.ixed  pell  mell  together.     I    nature 
coul    ■  ofdid,   do  what  they  say  of  her,   then   there  would  be  no 
.ecuriVv  for  pure  species  in  anything:  no  pure  blood   tor  any      Bu 
thank  the  Lord  that  He  has  held  her  in  His  own  power  for  the  good 
^fT,^.,il hoth  the  iust  and  the  unjust.     Amen. 

"'t1  e-l  is  stlrJelyin  exception  whore  -yt'-'^f -f  .^.^^.f  "^^ 
nnother  snecies  in  either  the  animal  or  vegetable  kingilon  .  iiie 
^ot^se  of  mum.  in  one  age  of  human  history  ^^^  ^^^^^^ ^^^^ 
criterion  of  what  she  has  been  in  all  past  time,  and  a  so,  of  «l^f  «''^ 
■11  iVr  ,,  ,  11  imo  to  come  What  she  has  not  done  in  our  age,  you 
may  he  w^ll  asiurea  slu'n^vor  did  in  any  past  age,  and  will  never  do 

in  any  future  age.     ^''";;."-;^ ''/"'f^',!;;  .,  ,,i„l^     Or  an  ape  to  become  a 
Who  ever  knew,  a  snake  to  hecomt  a  mm.  i 


laws  against  it, 


102. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATIOX. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


Kn\. 


/i 


man?     Tluit  was  an  unliappy  t!iou«,'ht  of  the  evolutionists. 

All  kinds  of  beasts  enter  life  in  a  condition  sufficient  to  protect 
themselves  alike  against  heat  and  cold,  but  when  the  human  specieir? 
is  born  into  this  world,  it  is  without  any  protection  except  its 
mother.  But  evolution  Inis  no  mother.  Here  Providence  has  forever 
debarred  their  theory.  Think  of  a  poor  little  infant  evolved  in  the 
woods,  or  tield,  or  open  plain  ;  nobody  to  clothe  it,  to  feed  it,  to 
nurse  it,  to  doctor  it  nor  protect  it;  exposed  to  beasts  of  prey,  rep- 
tiles and  birds  of  prey.  If  it  was  a  hot  country  it  couldn't  stand  the 
heat;  if  it  was  a  cold  country  it  couldn't  stand  the  cold.  They  won't 
allow  Providence  to  help  it  in  any  way,  won't  allow  it  to  be  adult  at 
the  start ;  on  their  theory  it  mus^t  o^row,  and  that  very  slowly;  there- 
fore, it  would  have  to  be  helpless  a  lon.i^  while.  Verily,  it  would 
take  more  than  one  miracle  to  keep  it  alive,  but  they  won't  allow 
any  miracles.  The  poor  little  thin«>:  has  to  do  everything,'  for  itself. 
Evolution  has  no  neighbors;  it  is  altogether  dependent  upon  itself. 

When  Adam  and  Eve  were  created,  tliey  were  full  grown,  but  after 
they  sinned  they  could  not  protect  themselves  without  Providence; 
not  even  against  heat  and  cold,  to  say  nothing  of  biting  and  stinging 
insects,  poisonous  reptiles  and  evil  beasts.  They  were  in  a  civilized 
state,  too.  With  these  writers  evolution  was  before  civilization.  Cer- 
tainly it  would  be  in  a  dangerous  condition.  And  if  the  poor  fellow 
should  escape  all  the  dangers  and  the  uncertainties  of  existence  and 
live  to  be  grown,  where  would  he  find  a  wife  to  enable  him  to  per- 
petuate his  kind? 

When  the  Lord  made  man,  He  made  woman,  too.  And  all  spenes 
of  animals  were  created  in  sexes.  And  in  spite  of  all  wars  among - 
men,  and  man's  interference  with  the  animals.  He  keeps  the  sexes 
of  all  kinds  sufficiently  equal  to  answer  all  His  purposes  in  every 
species.  If  Moses  made  out  his  own  account  of  Creation  he  beat 
these  late  doctors  a  long  ways. 

Experimental  science,  with  a  great  deal  of  labor,  may  imitate 
nature  to  some  extent  in  some  things,  but  as  the  magicians  of  E^ypt, 
permitted  of  the  Lord  to  imitate  the  works  of  Moses,  had  very  soon 
to  acknowledge  their  inability  to  follow  him,  so  these  in  their  tedious 
work  cannot  follow  her  very  far.  They  have  tried  hard  to  produce 
life.  If  they  could,  by  any  means,  it  would  not  amount  to  anything 
in  building  their  theory. 

Nature,  as  she  is  today,  everywhere  witnesses  to  the  truth  of  the 
Bible ;  the  evidence  is  all  around  us.  So  we  may  say  with  Moses, 
"Who  shall  go  over  the  sea  to  bring  it  to  us?"  (Deut.  150  :11-14.)  Or 
with  St.  Paul,  "Who  shall  bring  it  up  out  of  the  deep?  Or  who  shall 
fetch  it  down  from  heaven?"  (Rom.  10:6-8.)  And  again,  "Doth  not 
nature  teach  you?"  (1  Cor.  11:14.)  Surely  we  don't  need  the  evo- 
lutionists to  teach  us;  if  their  theory  was  true,  it  would  not  be 
worth  a  cent  anyway  to  know  it.  It  is  said  the  lessons  of  nature  are 
so  plain  that  they  who  believe  wrong,  and  do  wrong,  are  without 
excuse,  even  if  they  have  no  other  light.     (Rom.  1 :20.) 

Even  in  our  time  we  have  known  men  to  be  higher  developed  in 
brain  capacity  than  their  sons.  As  in  the  case  of  our  greatest  men. 
Their  sons  seldom,  if  ever,  reach  the  greatness  of  the  old  sire.     As  in 


)   I  A 


Henry  Clay's  dynasty,  if  one  might  so  speak.     And  in  Daniel   Web-  ^. 
ster's;  and  even  (reorge  Washington^is  not  exempt  from  this  inevi-  '^.  -, 
table  result  in  nature.     For  in  every  dynasty  nature  comes  to  her 
best,  then  drops  back;  by  and  by  she  is  at  her  best  again,  but  it   is 
in  another  dynasty;   not  in  the  same.     She   never  gives   but  one   of 
her  best  in  any  dynasty.     There  was  but  one  Washington,  but  one 
Julius  Ca3sar,  but  one  Shakspeare.     In   none  of  these  lines  has  she 
ever   repeated    herself.     And    in    many   others,    we    might   mention 
where  nature  did  her  best,  then  dropped  back  to  her  ordinary  level. 
She  does  not  l'o  higher  and  higher,  but  drops  back,  and  comes  to  her 
best  a^'-ain,  but  in  another  line.     It  is  her  true  course  in  everytliing. 
Critics  say  better  orations  than   Demosthenes'   have   never  been 
produced.     Nor  better  poetry  than   Homer's.     It  is  said  no  neople 
ever  equaled  the  Egyptians  in  embalming  the  dead.     The  same  is 
true  of  men  in  their*  physical   stature  and  general  contour.     Some- 
times there  is  in  a  certain  line  one  of  the  grandest  of  physiques,  but 
never  its  like  again  in  that  dynasty.     Recently  we  had  two  hne  spec- 
imens moving  among  us,  as  well  as  the  grand  intellects  they  were— 
Robert  Toombs  and  (reorge  F.  Pierce. 

So  it  is  with  feminine  talent  and  beauty.  Many  examples  might 
be  mentioned  from  history,  both  ancient  and  modern,  and  any  one 
can  think  of  many  within  personal  observation  where  nature  in  a 
<^iven  line  has  come  to  her  best  either  in  talent  or  beauty,  and  fell 
back  a^ain  to  her  ordinary  status.  And  here  she  comes  again,  but  it 
is  in  another  dvnasty  of  beauty  or  talent  she  now  gives  her  reward. 
.Jenny  Lind  has  never  yet  been  equaled  in  fame  for  singing;  nor 
Florence  Nightingale  in  her  sphere  of  work;  neither  Joan  of  Arc  in 
her  field  of  action  ;  nor  Judith  in  her  arts  and  strategies  for  patriot- 
ism, and  in  prudence,  and  beauty,  and  winning  manners;  nor  Martha 
Washin^don  in  her  noble  spirit  for  her  country,  sacrihcing  her  pri- 
vate interest  for  the  public  good,  and  her  pleasure  for  the  pleasure 

''\t^i'r Uist  so  in  all  other  species.  She  can't  produce  liner  steeds 
than  she  has;  nor  more  beautiful  birds,  nor  prettier  tish ;  neither 
men  more  handsome  than  she  has,  nor  prettier  women  than  are  now 

and  have  been  before.     Neither  will  she  in  ^i^^;:^^^^^.^^f  \^,  ^^^tutes 
better  than  she  has  already  done.     Long  ago  it  is  said,  the  Israelites, 
with  their  crude  agricultural  implements  and  crude  system  of  prc- 
i  ngland  for  cultivation  and  of  threshing  of  ^[-j'^^f.^f^d.  J^ 
natui;  herself  alone-unassisted  by  any  chemical  ^.^^^'l  ^^^^  " /^^^^ 
plain  of  (ienesaret,  100  bushels  to  one  sown;    and  ^»  ^1  f  Plain^^^ 
Babvlon    it   is  said,  200  to  one  sown,  and  sometimes  m  bushel^. 
rt'ow  of  no  letterVield  now  than  that      In  -ery  Hne  she  c^^^^^^  he 
best,  drops  back,  then  comes  to  her  best  agam.     That  has  been  her 
true  course  in  all  things  ever  since  her  Creation. 

•  rt"LMn';Sy  •  [l^re  never  has  been  any  uniform  a-  0P,nent 
innioralitv   nor  in  ChrisHan  experience,  nor  in  faith  ami  Uirisnan 
wk      Kve'ry°,ge  has  had  some  of  the  very  best  products  of  grace 
and  some  of  th^lcast.     The  Bible  provides  for  all  the  extremes  in  all 


U)4. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


TPIE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


lOf). 


a<?es.  The  faith  of  Enoch,  of  Abrahiini  and  of  Elijah,  J  don't  think, 
has  been  excelled.  Neither  is  there  any  crossini;  of  species  by 
nature  in  her  uninterrupted  course  in  all  thin<:c^,  and  for  any  of  them 
to  evolve  new  species  would  be  impossible.  No  power  less  tlum  the 
Creator's  could  do  it,  and  we  have  no  information  that  he  ever 
evolved  any.  He  has  revealed  only  two  methods — (^.reation  and  <?en- 
eration.  It  is  certain  that  no  man  can  show  a  case  of  evolution  ;  not 
a  sinti^le  example  is  known. 

When  Christ  died  upon  the  cross  His  redeeminjx  work  was  com- 
plete, but  His  savinif  work  went  on  as  before;  its  foundation)  before 
He  died  bein«;  the  redemption  that  was  to  be  by  the  sufferin*;  of 
death  by  the  Son  of  ^fan  for  man.  So,  His  providence  has  ever  been 
at  work  throuj^h  His  completed  Creation.  In  His  providence  He  has 
multiplied  in  the  various  kinds  He  crejited.  He  had  all  the  lines  in 
hand  from  C'reation  He  wanted  to  operate,  and  had  no  need  to  work 
outside,  but  only  within  these  special  lines — in  all  the  departments 
of  nature;  and  there  is  no  proof  that  any  of  them  are  better  or  worse 
than  the  first  of  them;  and  a  beautiful  system  has  it  been  in  all  of 
its  parts  from  the  first.  He  has  never  needed  evolution  to  help  Him. 
That  mars,  if  it  were  true,  the  beauty  of  it  all. 

Redemption  bejifan  with  man's  sin,  it  then  took  a  concrete  form. 
As  an  abstract  principlt*,  it  inhered  in  the  constitution  of  man,  as  he 
was  made  capable  of  beintj  redeemed.  It  is  not  correct  to  say 
redemption  existed  from  all  eternity.  If  so,  it  would  have  eml)raced 
all  the  antjels.  But  the  fact  that  none  of  them  that  fell  and  lost 
their  first  estate  are  redeemed  and  saved,  shows  that  it  did  not  exist 
before  or  at  the  time  they  sinned. 

There  was  then  no  redeeming  or  pardoning;  power  in  existence.  It 
beinf]^  peculiar  to  man's  system,  abstractly  considered,  it  be«^an  with 
his  (Creation,  if  it  should  become  a  necessity  to  redeem  him,  and 
became  concrete  in  the  heart  and  mind  of  the  Deity  when  he  fell. 
Not,  therefore,  before  the  Creation  of  this  world,  but  so  close  to  that 
event,  that  Jesus  the  Christ  is  set  forth  in  that  system  of  redemption 
as  a  lamb  slain  from  the  foundation  of  the  world,  takin^r  awny  the 
sin  of  the  world.  Which  shows  there  was  no  lon<j:  ])eriod  of  time 
from  the  beginning — the  existence  of  material  thin;i:s — to  the  time  of 
man's  trans<i:ression,  but  that  his  fall,  as  to  time,  stands  back  very 
close  to  the  betj:innint^  of  all  sublunary  thini^s.  It  is  not  at  all  correct 
to  say  there  were  anterior  a^es  before  man's  existence  began.  There 
is  no  revelation  of  it,  and  without  a  revelation  from  the  Creator  it 
could  not  be  known.  And  we  have  shown  there  is  no  foundation  in 
nature  for  such  an  opinion. 

It  seems  that  the  Lord  took  more  time  in  making  the  man  and 
the  woman  than  any  other  thing  He  did  in  Creation.  Yet,  He  was 
much  longer  in  the  work  of  redeeming  man.  But  the  longest  of  all 
in  making  a  Bible  for  mankind;  that  work  reaching  from  man's 
Creation,  and  of  all  material  things,  to  the  time  the  writing  of  the 
New  Testament  was  finished.  If  His  law  as  set  forth  in  Scripture 
was  a  finished  work,  (Deut.  5  :22) ;  if  redemption  was  a  finished  work, 
(John  19:80);  if  the  Bible  as  a  whole  was  a  finished  work,  (Rev. 
22:18-19,  Deut.  12:82),  why  should  we  suppose  that  C-reation   alone 


I 


of  all  His  works  was  left  incomplete?  And  that  the  word  finished 
here  must  assume  a  different  meaning  to  its  usual  meaning?  (Oen. 
2  :l-2).     So  would  the  word  ended  have  to  take  a  new  meaning,  too. 

It  cannot  be  proved  that  anything  has  been  added  since  that 
account  said,  "(lod  ended  His  work  which  He  had  made."  (Cen.  2  :2.) 
Of  course  every  generation  is  His  Creation — w<3rknninship  produced 
out  of  that  which  He  primarily  ^'created  and  made."  Neither  has 
anything  in  physical  nature  been  lost,  for  if  any  species  of  animals 
have  beco!ne  extinct  as  to  their  organization,  they  are,  nevertheless, 
represented  in  that  volume  of  nature  that  now  is.  Thus  she  holds 
her  own,  never  loses  anything  nor  gains  anything,  is  ever  perfect, 
has  never  progressed  after  the  order  these  writers  want  to  mark  out 
for  her,  but  has  only  increased  her.  inhabitants  after  the  orders  they 
all  received  in  the  day  of  their  Creation, 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


Some  naturalists  want  to  say  that  the  birds  came  from  reptiles. 
When  the  reptiles  saw  that  was  the  fashion  why  didn't  they  all  adopt 
it,  put  on  wings  and  Hy?  As  long  as  there  are  any  reptiles  in  this 
world,  so  long  will  nature  stand  against  their  theory.  If  it  ever  had 
been  a  law  in  miture  for  snakes  or  other  reptiles  to  becr)rne  bird<, 
such  would  be  her  course  now,  but  since  mankind  has  been  upon 
earth,  such  a  thing  has  not  been  done,  and  if  she  has  not  been  known 
to  do  it  in  that  length  of  time,  of  course,  she  never  did  it.  For  her 
to  do  it  at  any  time  would  be  a  miracle;  and  that  they  can't  bear  in 
their  theory.  Nor,  of  herself,  did  she  ever  do  a  miracle;  all  miracles 
are  from  her  Author. 

Now  anybody  knows,  if  it  was  true,  there  is  no  reason  for  suppos- 
ing that  only  a  few  of  them  became  birds,  while  the  great  majority 
of^them  did  not.  No  workman  leaves  so  many  chips;  it  would  be  a 
sorry  one  that  would  w^aste  so  much  material.  The  same  applies  to 
every  creature  they  have  tried  to  change  into  a  higher.  Never  has 
the  change,  however,  been  anywhere  found ;  it  is  not  proved  at  a 
single  point.  Some  of  them,  however,  claim  no  higher  authority 
than  an  hypothesis— supposition— for  it.  If  that  is  all,  it  is  best  for 
them  before  Cod  and  all  men,  to  desist  from  all  such  things,  for  a 
person  might  trifle  with  a  falsehood  until  belief  of  it  would  capture 

the  mind.  , 

It  is  all  done  for  this  purpose.  They  want  to  say  that  mankmd 
came  from  apes.  We  all  know  that  if  one  could  change  himself  into 
a  man,  all  of  them  could  and  would,  for  they  are  the  most  imitative 
of  all  animals.  As  long,  therefore,  as  any  apes  are  found  in  this 
world,  it  shows  that  their  case  is  not:  made  out. 

That  nature  now,  unaided  by  Divine  power,  could  make  a  man  out 
of  an  ape,  is  a  thing  that  no  one  believes.  Why,  then,  should  we 
believe  she  ever  did  do  such  a  thing?  Of  course  it  would  be  impossi- 
ble for  an  ape  to  make  himself  a  man,  and  if  they  had  had  the  privi- 
le<-e  of  becoming  men  they  could  not  have  agreed  among  themselves 
which  should  be  the  women,  for  there  is  no  creature  on  earth  that  is 
willino-  to  be  a  woman.     The  women  themselves  want  to  be  men. 


\ 


j^  THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 

Tho  .-ist  of  the  whole  .natter  with  the«e  writers  --^"^^^^  ^^ 

^^Jt'rSc^  irnirf :..  .;  -eU.ij..  _rro.„  Uo^.  to  ...i^  u-. 
that  he  ever  should  eonehKle  ''^^■"7^ '^"  '  ''t^  .^traordinary  in 
nature  of  herself  perforuKs  no  "J'™*-^^^:,,,,  } '^^^  ^/i^\^;  ,om,non  to 
her  work  is  .•ailed  ph.>nou,eni.l ;  1«^  ?''''•''/,,  henomenal  attraets 
„H  the  wonder  of  it  passes  uniu.tu-ed,  •»  '  '  ^  ";  .  ,|,<,  ,,oes  every 
.reat  attenlion,  yet  it  is  no  more  ^v"'"'"  "l!^",  ;     been  as  hard 

their  theory  as  completely  as  it  did  Hie  tower  ot    babel,   the  tir.t 

''¥;::^rdon'ltem^>  S,  l'^^^,  that  l>ut  one  ape  evolved  a 
Jn''  H  th^  were  true,  or  if  ,uite  a  number  lu.d^they^  ^^^J,^ 
been    too   weak,  unprepared  and  mexperieneed  ^^^  ^^%'  ^  ^^^'^   ;i, 
themselves  a,^ainst   the   enemies  to  their  ^^'1''^^  ^'^;'^^^^^ 
theory,  all  the  animals  were  in  the  world  at  leas    ^^^^^/^^^  ^7.     f  ^^. 
nitely  Ion-  a-es,  and  increasing  in   numbers  all  that  time,  ancl  o 
courJe  we^e  n^i.nerous,  before  their  evolved  man  appeared ;  weak 
intellect   too,  scarcely  above  an  ape,  as  a  matter  of  course    it  v.ou\d 
be  impossible^  for  it,  or  a  number  of  such,  to  live   amon.,^  the  carniv- 

""'Xllll^'i^  no  use  for  anv  of  them  to  modify  and  try  to  hitch  it  on 
to  (;od's  Creation,  for  it  does  not  harmonize  with  nature  any  more 

than  it  does  with  common  sense.  ^1  •  i  .^^ 

With  them  the  immediate  ancestor  of  man  was  an  anthropoid  ape, 
as  the  -orilla,  chimpanzee  or  orancr-outancr;  but  they  do  not  say 
who  was  his  ancestress.  Soon  after  he  be-ot  the  man  he  died,  and 
no  trace  of  him  has  ever  been  found  a.iywhere  on  earth,  nor  in  the 
earth      Surely  they  can  beat  the  ancients  making'  fables. 

The  lnal)ilitv  to  find  any  of  his  remains,  is  regretted  by  them  as  a 
very  -reat  misfortune.  If  su(di  remains  were  found,  it  wou d  no 
more  make  out  their  case  than  what  are  now  living  in  the  world. 

What  they  claim  as  their  latest  and  best  proof  on  the  subject,  is 
this-  There  were  found  in  1891  and  1892  some  osseous  reniains  in 
the  Island  of  Java.  The  upper  half  of  a.skull,  a  femur— thigh  bone— 
and  a  single  tooth;  as  these  pieces  lay  within  a  few  yards  of  each 
other  they  are  supposed  to  be  of  the  same  individual.  It  would  bo 
as  reasonable  to  suppose  that  they  belonged  to  three  individuals. 

The  skull  would  indicate  higher  development  of  brain  power  than 
any  known  ape,  but  about  two-thirds   less  than  the  average  for  man. 


\ 


THE  STORY  OF  OREATTOX. 


/ 


loT 


They  sup])ose,  therefore,  it  was  an  animal  above  the  apes,  but  it  is 
more  likely  that  it  is  the  skull  of  a  human  being  of  low  development 
in  l)rain  power;  especially  as  there  is  no  proof  that  the  three  bones 
belonged  to  the  same  individual.  I  have  seen  many  a  tooth  lying 
by  itself  of  animals  and  of  human  beings,  and  I  knew  this  was  an 
animal's  and  that  a  human  tooth.  And  what  did  their  presence 
prove?  That  there  was  thereabouts  an  animal  and  a  human  being 
in  some  time  past.  There  is  no  proof  that  the  tooth  and  the  femur 
were  of  the  same  individual,  or  that  the  skull  belonged  with  either  of 
the  others.  Yet  upon  such  testimony  as  that,  they  claim  it  as  cer- 
tain that  there  was  there  an  individual  above  any  known  ape  in 
brain  power,  and  about  two-thirds  below  the  average  'for  man  ;  tlmt 
it  was  animal  between  apes  and  man,  and  exult  over  it  as  the  long 
sought  ancestor  of  the  human  race.  They  failed  to  discover,  or  say 
at  least,  whether  it  was  male  or  female.  If  it  was  a  female,  they 
can't  fit  her  into  their  chain,  for  there  are  no  ancestresses  in  it.  I 
think  the  truth  is  this,  there  perished  one  or  more  savages  at  that 
place,  all  else  of  their  remains  decomposed,  except  the  half  skull 
and  femur,  and  one  of  them  had  an  ape's  tooth  as  a  trinket  or  charm, 
which  is  comirionly  worn  by  the  savage  for  some  superstitious  reason. 

Those  bones  were  found,  it  is  said,  ''in  a  stratum  of  volcanic  tufa.'' 
If  a  whole  skeleton  had  been  present,  doubtless,  all  of  it  would  liave 
been  preserved:  the  inference  is,  therefore,  that  none  of  it  or  of 
others,  were  there  when  that  stratum  formed.  Being  as  far  apart  as 
they  were,  shows  that  they  did  not  belong  to  a  skeleton  that  had 
decomposed,  leaving  only  those.  Perhaps  the  skull  was  a  good  aver- 
age for  the  human  inhabitants  of  that  country  at  that  time.  We 
could  not  expect  them  to  be  an  average  for  civilized  mankind.  Even 
in  civilized  lands  could  be  found  those  living  now  who  are  below  an 
average  for  man,  and  yet  above  the  highest  of  apes,  known  to 
be  real  human. 

If  remains  could  be  found  of  an  average  between  man  and  the 
highest  developed  apes,  it  would  be  no  proof  that  mankind  came  from 
that  source.  Not  at  all ;  for  many  such  are  living  now,  not  only  in 
savag^^  countries,  where  they  find  their  examples,  but  in  the  nmst 
civilized,  too.  What  man  could  live  through  a  common  lifetime 
without  seeing  such  examples  of  low  development  in  brain  power 
and  ph3^sical  development  accompanying  it  of  inferior  order,  al- 
though human?  So  if  excavation  finds  them,  the  anatomists  need 
not  bring  them  forward  for  that  purpose. 

In  the  Creation  tlie  creature  nearest  to  liuman  kind  was  the  origi- 
nal serpent.  He  evidently  had  the  power  of  speech,  stood  erect, 
walked  only  on  two  feet,  perhaps.  That  is  the  missing  link.  It  was 
lost  in  the  fall  of  man  and  in  the  fall  of  the  serpent,  too.  The  Judge 
of  all  saAV  that  it  would  not  henceforth  do  for  them  to  be  so  much 
alike.  And  He  foresaw  that  the  devil  would  try  to  fool  men  with  his 
remains  if  they  were  ever  found  in  distant  ages,  so,  therefore,  his 
remains,  like  the  grave  of  Moses,  are  not  found  unto  this  day.  (Deut. 
84:6,  Jude  9th  verse.)  The  Lord  changed  his  form  before  he  died— 
made  him  crawl,  without  feet  at  that,  and  lick  and  eat  dust.  (Gen. 
8  -11  and  Is.  05  :2i)).     An  evidence  of  a  complete  victory  over  him  and 


lOS. 


THK- STORY  OF  ORKATIOK 


i 


THE  STORY  OF  OHEATION 


lOS). 


man  from  anvthin^:  below  liimself  is  an  absurdity,  an  impossibility. 


r^;,  :^  0  oVluT  ha.  not,  and  >-"-* ^^  e .  n';.-  but  arc  easily 
ravke  no  sensible  ari^.unent  "*^"»";'V^„„,^  , '%1  Fet.  i'.:ir.). 
™  swere.1  bv  one  tln.r  is  a  <-'V'^';  ."^  ,f,7;"vri.ten  full  2,«K.  years  a^o. 
""T^se  wH.oi-s  re.nind  "^,  f  fj  "'  f,  i,  U  speak  out  of  the  sxround, 
"  \nd  thou  shatt  be  broufllit  '1™  ""  "'  ,„^,,  ,^  „i  thy  voice  shall  be  as 
and  tl,y  speech  shall  l>e  ~  .«f^*  ^  "-^.i^  ,,huuI,  and  thy  speech 
of  one  that  hat  h  a  fanuliar  spint .  om 

shall  whisper  out  of  t be  dust        [l^; -;■,•'  „,  ,|,pir  teaehins  today 
It  is  a  sL-ikins  deserip  ioi>  "^  *,'"'";, ..presents  their  theory  :n  a 
The  sixteenth  verse  of  ^^'y^^^^^  "'   ^'^'"^  ?>""''  r'  hhu 

;^;;:;h:?f^n^r^ "i^er       >^  of   desco;,ded 

the  sills  on  top  of  all  «"  ;''';^'„  ^,r",^/viU  bo  .be  moral  re.ult 
through  ii .  If  they  'l^"^  f  "P"^  ^^  „„,-  will  bave  none.  Like 
that  when  their  souls  "'"'^  "«'' "".r  ,,'!'',„.  ,i,ht  their  lamps  wentout. 
the  foolish  virgins,  when  ' '"'^ 'I'^f  J  ^-^f;,  'ry  to  nuvke  the  .-reatures 
(Matt.25:8.1«).  ^^"'' ''^  , '\' tt,!,.'  '^iclf  thc-y  chum  that  man 
say,  He  made  us  not.     .\nil  »"   xiui.^ 

came  from  had  no  ""'If '""';     l"\.T,n,r  tn  he  aneestorefl  by  a  being 

For  a  bei,.g  that  l.a.h  ""''«':^;;  '\'  ,",  "a    >'•  ""  i-npossibility.     To 

that  hath  no  umlerstand.ng  .s    ;'    f    '  ;'\7,,;,i,,uitic.     If  it  shotild 

think  it,  is  unphilosophic.     T"  **'"". '1,^.  ,ooking  for  effect  where 

occur  it  would  pervert  nature.     It  ^T^^  ,  ;^„  ^an't  expect 

tl.ere  is  no  cause  to  produ.-e  >t      ro      u.  ua  ^^^  .^  ^^  ^p^.,,„ 

wheat  to  grow  where  there  is  not  •-'•»'  ,^„„f  ,,e  first  a  lutman 

from.  So.  for  there  to  be  ''"'"«"  ;^;';:.,*„  inartificial,  it  has  to  rest 
mind  for  tliem  to  spnng  trom.  ^^''^^^^^'f,  first  human  mind  out 
npon  natural  .nind  as  'ts  basi-     nie   ^  ^,^^j  fir.t,   human 

of  which  have  sprung  all  other  hmu.in  ^.^^  ^.^^,,^j 

mind  cottld  n,,t  iKU-e  sprung   ro     a  5^^^^^^^^^  „,,,,  „„.e  it 

it  have  origiruited  itselt.     It  mitst  nav t  l 

being.     That  was  the  Wvine  m.nd  „„,hority  can   he  im- 

If  the  president  of  the  I; n.tedbt  lies  h^^^^^^^^     nature  has  no  mind 
mrt  autliority  to  another.'    J^"  JhiU  ^^'\^^;  jj^,^  ,|,p  ^.onclusion. 

cannot  i.npart  '"''"Vr'^^y'^:'"",!  fuority  biX  than  he  holds  him- 
Xor  can  the  president  impart  ""  boutj  ni„i  ^^^^^ 

self.  So  no  animal  can  by  ""y  '  '  "n,/"r„\L"er  than  he  is.  So 
himself.  Nor  could  the  P^f "  -^"/J'!!'^"];^,,?:,  "r  th'[n  s  own  nature 
preeS:  nl^rcI^^rrilreTs  ^-rr^l'^hercf^^^ 


(UIAPTER  XVTI. 

Ix  the  olden  times  images  were  made  of  many  kinds  of  living?  crea- 
tures, and  the  creature  worshiped   by  mankind  througli  the  image. 
But  now  their  advanced  followers,  will,  to  avoid  that  restraint  the  . 
AN'ord  of  God  requires;  or  the  doing  of  those  righteous  duties  it  ,    > 
enjoins;  go  the  seashore,  bring  out  a  living  thing,  or  as  to  that,  a  i  V/ 
dead  one  will  do  as  well,  examine  it  with  a  great  deal  of  interest,  but 
instead  of  admiring  its  mechanism  and  the  wisdom  of  that  Creator 
who  made  it,  and  themselves,  too,  will  get  down  low  and  ask  it  a 
so-called  scientific  question,  and  the  devil,  who  is  always  present  at 
such  operations,  will   give  through  the  thing  a  so-called  scientihc 
answer,  which  none  but  such  naturalists  can  hear:     Are  you  notour 
father?     Yes,  and  I  fathered  your  mammy  and  daddy,  too.     (John 
8:^4,  .Ter.!>:  17,  Is.  44:9-20).  ^    ,,     .     m     • 

Idolatry  takes  on  many  forms.  The  opposition  to  (xod  s  truth  in 
wicked  human  hearts  assumes  many  shapes.  It  is  the  cloven  foot  of 
the  devil,  and  so  blinded  by  him  are  some  of  them,  that  they  to  him 
even  existence  deny.  (2  Cor.  4:4).  In  pity  it  shows  how  blind  a  poor 
unconverted  heart  can  become  when  it  falls  a  prey  to  some  r.ruel 
prejudice.  Verily,  1  am  sorry  for  them  ;  the  Lord  have  mercy  on 
them,     A  learned  man  may  be  fooled  by  the  devil  quite  as  easy  as  an 

unlearned  one.  ^       ,  ,  .    ,        ,, 

Loner  aj^^o  the  proverb  said,  "go  to  the  ant  *  *  *  and  learn  wisdom. 
(Prov  ^{J  -B-IO),  "Consider  her  ways''  and  be  wise  unto  your  own  sal- 
•  vat  ion  ;  she  obeys  the  laws  of  her  being.  If  man  should  follow  her 
example,  he  would  not  only  prepare  bodily  comforts  in  summer  for 
the  coming  winter,  but  lay  up  treasure  for  his  soul  in  that  approach- 
ing winter  of  his  spiritual  need.  If  he  fails  in  this,  however,  learned 
in  this  world's  wisdom,  he  will  be  called  a  fool  at  last.  (Luke  12:20). 
Doubtless  will  so  think  of  himself.  Mercy  forbid  it  to  you  and  me. 

Some  of  th.em  want  to  say  that  they  have  no  consciousness-,  tluit 
their  actions  are  not  controlled  by  their  wills,  or,  in  other  words,  they 
are  not  responsible  for  their  acts.  It  is,  at  least,  presumptious  that 
they  will  find  out.  The  very  name— Agnostic--means,  I  don  t  knoxv^ 
But  that  excuse  for  sin  and  unbelief  will  not  be  accepted  at  Cxod  s 
judgment,  it  will  be  retorted  from  that  tribunal  you  had  both  the 
capacity  and  means  of  k  nowing  and  of  doing  your  duty,  ^^^P^^-^^  Jff^f  " 
niie  you  not  as  justified.  Real  sins  of  ignorance  were  atoned  or  b> 
extraordinary  mercy;  but  willful  or  coveted  ignorance  and  nmIHuI 

'' We'h^;  reason  to  be  thankful  that  we  are  made  as  we  are    for  if 

many  of  our  actions  were  not  automatic  ^^'^V'^"^^^,/^;^  \^\^  ./! 
instance,  if  a  man's  breathing  depended  upon  his  will,  he  m  gh     be 

so  closely  engaged  in  thought,  business,  work  ^'^P^^^^^'''^  1]'^'^^,^ 
wouire  fher  for%t  it,  or  postpone  it,  until  he  would  die.  If  the  pxi]- 
::^  :^  hi^  ^  depended  il^on  his  f  ^entic^   in^ith^    fought  c. 


11„.  THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 

upon  his  volition,  he  '"^^^\  f'^^'J'Z  o1^hoiVn1«4K  to 
them      If  he  had  to  attend  to  all  oi  .  n>  ot  i  u  ^p.^i^p^ 

«  own  lite,  and  should  be  atta.-ked  '>;. «" /'  f^',^ '^ 'to  discourse  in 
'fight  nor  run.  And  if  it  ^^'^'"^^TW"^^^  not  support  his 
music  or  oratory,  a  person  co    d      '  ^  ^'^    » ■  ,„^  „„j.thing.     It  is  well 

own  life  nor  defe.,<   ''•  y'"''' ^^^  "''A;^  i^tal  or-ans  are  automatic, 
foru.s,  therefore,  that  the  actions  of  our  ^lt^a.         eontinuin?  our 

all  these  things  could  just  "'PP'>."/^^^^^.^?4,,„do  themselves." 
it;  or,  as  the  modified  '"volut.omsls  MiJ       the    im  ^,^^^^ 

It  appears  that  some  men  «P«'"'\|7 '^^/"!'^,,  f  j,„ue  lo1»8-42.) 
thin,s,'?et  neglect  the  "- ^'''"/^-llf^lJXu,- of  l"'  times,  but 
Saul  of  Tarsus  was  learned  in  the  f  ill  ^  '"•"«"  j  j^^^^,  Christ,  he 
when  we  was  brought  to  a  .'onscious  knoN  led  e  ol  je  ^^^^ 

called  it  the  excellency  of  ^7^^'7'^<^-,.,^^'^-,tat  mortals  can  attain 
superior  wisdom  and  knowledge,  the  liighesr  tnat 

""*"•  ..,11  „«t>,rp  nt  herself  ever  evolved  men  or  any 
If,  on  the  other  hand.  ""*';^,fI^X\t  today"  Why  would  she 
other  living  creatures,  why  don  t  she  <"  ^  t^VpL  (,  ^,.  ...jUpd  to 
will  of  herself  to  stop,  and  do  '^'^ -'fvor  agai  .'  ^  .'^  *-'{[f  ™  ^^  „,,ae. 
stop  creating  and  -st,  on     he  ^v  ba  h     a>^,  ^^^   '^^f^,       „„,,,„„i 

^::^:::^^U^^^^^''  they  can-t  make  it  without 

''1o's"udent'*ihould  pursue  his  studies  in  nature  without  a  true  copy 
oUuS:L  his  haL  and  freely  used   and  -thont  whudi   he  i 

-rttr;^:^  *^^r 'r^x'd-a  'i^  r  ;r  ^^  -re. 

"  Wiulout"  LZvled. 'e'oMhe  Bible  and  a  just  consideration   of  t^.e 
reaso  lab le  effects  of    be  fioo,l  and  of  the  destruction  of  the  antedilu- 
vian    ^eandTle  probability  that  those  effects  at  that  time  were  felt 
through  the  whole  earth-which  is  the  most  reliable  view  of  the  sacred 
te^t-lVe  cannot  account  for  many  things  he  wdl  see.     The  Bible 
^  f^rnisl  edTo  me  a  satisfactory  reason  for  everything  in  nature,  and 
^  an  answe7to  every  seemingly  contradictory  position  taken  by  any 
class  of  writers  on  nature  or  the  Bible. 

The  Scriptures  as.^ribe  many  <-hanges  on  the  surface  of  the  cartel  to 
providence  since  Creation,  and  since  the  flood.  As  He  changeth  a 
fruitful  field  into  a  desert  ;  and  the  plain  that  was  like  unto  a  well 


THE  STORY  OF  CRE-iTION. 


111. 


-/ 
1 


ilk 


>  I  * 


watered  garden  into  a  sea  of  death ;  and  a  desert  into  a  well  watered 
country.  (Is.  il  :18-2U,  Gen.  18:10,  Is.  48:19-20,  Is.  24:1,  Mai.  1 :8-4). 
To  rightly  appreciate  the  subject,  we  should  consider  also  the 
effects  of  sin  and  its  curse  which  brought  changes  upon  all  nature. 
It  so  affected  Adam  and  Eve  with  blindness  toward  oniniscience  that 
they  endeavored  to  hide  from  the  Lord.  And  many  sinners  are  rep- 
resented as  so  doing — ancient  and  modern — many  of  them  called 
great  men  at  that.  (Rev.  6: 15-17).  Man  was  weakened  in  a  three- 
fold sense.  Everything  material  on  the  earth,  and  in  the  body  of  the 
earth,  suffered  with  him  correspondingly;  both  in  the  fall  and  in  the 

curse. 

The  ground  was  cursed  for  man's  sake;  her  surface  had  henceforth 
to  be  tilled  to  yield  a  support  for   him.     And   doubtless   a   tremor 
passed  through  the  whole  bulk  of  the  earth  corresponding  with  the 
effect  of  the  curse  on  her  surface.     As  it  was  universal,  as  nature 
shows,  on  her  surface,  so  it  must  have  been   universal  in  her  bulk. 
All  nature,  therefore,  carries  the  impress  of  it  unto  this  day.   Where- 
ever  the  foot  of  num  treads,  if   thoughtful  and  observant,  he  can  but 
see  the  footprints  of  Divine  wrath.     Nor  can  he  go  deep  enough  below 
her  surface  to  get  beyond  them,  for  they  struck  deep  into  her.     And 
there  is  yet  another  event  that  must  not  be  overlooked.    St.  Paul^says, 
"Where'sin  abounded,  grace  did  much  more  abound."    (Rom.  r):20). 
So  when  man  sinned  there  must  have  been  effects  in  all  nature  some- 
what like  those  when  he  was  redeemed.     If  the  rocks  were  rent  when 
Christ  died  on  the  cross,  then  by  analogy  they  may  have  been  when 
man  sinned.     The  darkness  which  St.  Luke  says  was  over  all  the 
earth,  (28:44),  is  acknowledged  by  heathen  writers  to  have  been  wit- 
nessed in  their  lands:  and  no  eclipse  anywhere;  the  phenomena  were 
purely  supernatural.   As  nature  everywhere  sympathized  with  Christ 
while  suffering  on  the  cross  and  bore  witness,  so  she  must  have  done 
when  man  fell,  which  made  it  necessary.     The  Lord's  testimony  is  a 
lasting  witness,  so  we  should  not  be  surprised  to  find  witness  of  these 
events  in  all  the  earth  today. 

As  on  the  top  of  the  ground,  and  in  the  waters,  and  in  the  distant 
skies  His  witnesses  are  met,  shall  we  not  expect  to  see  them  in  the 
bowels  of  the  earth  too?  They  are  to  witness  to  that  plainer  state- 
ment of  truth  He  gives  in  His  word.  (Ps.  19  :1-11.)  Men  will  be  able 
to  read  them  for  His  glory  when  they  become  sufficiently  wise,  ihe 
Bible  helps  us  to  a  better  understanding  of  nature  than  we  otherwise 

could  have.  ,       ,  .,    ,i-      i      ^        ^.^  +^««i. 

In  His  moral  goodness  the  Lord  intends  while  He  chastens  t-o  teach 

us  lessons  for  our  higher  good,  if  we  will  but  have  the  wisdom  to 
read  them  arierht.     (James  1 :5-7).  ,         ,    , 

Yet  some  who  have  not  been  favored  with  the  precious  knowledge 
of  God  and  of  His  word,  are  sure  not  to  fail  to  take  t'lo  devil  along - 
with  them,  and  he  himself  is  always  willing  to  go  for  he  ftoes  not 
like  to  be  ;ione,  and  enjoys  as  far  as  a  devi   can,  the  company  of  all 
his  servants,  whether  they  be  learned  or  otherwise;  he  «ays   I   n^so 

will  take  a  walk,  (Job  1 :7),  and  at  tr'^.A*'';"*"!^  sO  The7w^l  one. 
their  hearts  and  minds  from  the  truth.   (Acts  13:8).   Thej  will  often 
pause,  and  think,  and  say:     "Nature  seems  to  have  been  off  here. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


{ 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


113. 


11*^ 

1-  ..oiii-se      There  cef- 

^visdo,n  to  us  for  our  j;o,Kl.     <   '  "«^^  by  their  curses      ^^^ 

,„  '^i  ,Uo.l's  witnesses  ^J,  ;^.f     ^IhU?  it  man  will  not  close 
fa....,  under  the  surface,  «"'  '  '^Un    upon  l>in..     (Mai.  1 :6),. 

liiseves  toHislisl't.  »"'' '^^'i' ,  11  ovi-use  tor  not  servinj;  Him. 

'"  SuieTv  He  has  Tn.t  them  ot^^  r.,m  .  U  ^  x^^^^^^  „,  darkness, 

They  win.  it  they  refuse  all  H.*  ^^"'.-iXnf ,  or  fall.    (Rev.  b  :17). 
(Jer^a■.16).an,lstanaalone   nH      ltd  n       ;  ^^^.^^  ^^^  n""'",!  e 

The  Lord  does  in  nature  "-"^^ J^'^'-'i^^ve  something  to  st'"™  ''[^ 
For  man  needs  to  learn,  and  he  M       ^^^.^^^^^  ^^^  ^,^^         i       a  to 

his  ambition  to  study.     ".*'"  t  Sufficient;  but  some  will  iliscar 
all  mankind,  as  in  *"»'«.•,,*''*/'    ^^,^,X  aroused  by  other  means,  to 
that ;  then  Providence  will  let  tl'*-"' ^^.  *'      ,     .,  ^new  these  cunos 
ul  their  otherwise  inert^p;--.N-^^^^^^  ^,_^„,,  ,„   ,„aing  ot 

Sro^rer;:piri^.iuer::.>th.hem     ^^,^^  ^,  ,„^„,,,,,,„ 

*''The  Lord  has  His  -P^^f  J^^^^^^J^  'vndlh  "devil  never  fails  to 
workforthe«..od..titando   al     o    one    A  ^^_^_^^   „,tUods;  so 

have  his;  he  tries  to  ''"''IJ^  ;'^;;^^'\\po,V  .nankind  \n  every  age.     He 
he  has  a  change  of  method  to  wo  k  up  .^u^j  scientist.       An 

Christianity.  .      „„,...,  ..-ith  m-ovidence  and  the  operation 

Nature  and  the  Bihle  in  7'\"'^' .'^^ Jdesi^ned  to  lead   man-all 

of  the  Spirit  ot  (iod  "", '"f."  ".   t^hHst   and  e  ernal  salvation  through 

raankind-to  a  proper  '>';''^f''\[^''' ft',,"  result  of  all  will  be  to  bring 

-  Him.    If'heykeepontheywllhn    tbei;«        ,,^„,  ^^^^^,,.,y  ;„  „„ 

them  to  the  Scriptures;  '»■•  *^«'^J'""l;'  called  many  a  young  man 
grasp  until  He  brings  tbem  tl.ere^  "^ ''X  task.  Yet  the  Lord  let 
to  preach  the  gospel  who  shrank  '^^^  *^;^^;^«-,  ,  before  him  a  cer- 
ium prepare  for  another  P'-°f*';^;';''VjXhimt  become  willing  to  work 
tain  train  of  circumstances  «''  f  '^^«^.^  .""f^;  „.„,„ed  him  to.  And 
for  the  Lord,  anywhere,  and  in  nn>  wa> 


> 


now,  he  was  a  well  prepared  subject  for  His  use. 

So  He  suffers  this  work  to  go  on,  seemingly  against  His  revealed 
truth,  but  is  permitting  it,  perhaps,  as  a  preparation  for  something 
He  has  in  view.  And  all  these  lines  of  investigation  will  doubtless 
meet  in  His  general  truth,  for  the  general  good  of  all  mankind,  in 
the  then  known  harmony  of  nature  with  the  Bible.  The  Lord  fore- 
sees events  and  provides  for  them  beforehand.  When  He  was  on 
earth,  in  man's  estate,  doing  His  majestic  works,  while  He  as  a  man 
was  yet  alive.  He  provided  for  His  own  burial  unknown  to  the  twelve 
apostles,  and  even  unto  the  doer  of  that  work,  yet  that  work  was 
going  on.  Then  it  was  that  Joseph  of  Arimathea  did  unknowingly 
and  unintentionally  a  kind  favor  for  his  great  Master  before  it  was 
needed.  As  when  did  the  devoted  Mary  unknown  to  others  and  even 
t-o  herself.  (Mark  14:8).  But  the  Lord  saw  through  it  all,  and  so 
did  the  Spirit  of  prophecy  centuries  before.  (Is.  58 :9).  In  due  time 
the  services  of  these  devoted  ones  were  made  manifest  when  there  in 
that  garden  and  in  that  new  sepulchre,  wherein  man  had  not  lain, 
the  Son  of  God  was  buried  in  an  honorable  manner,  and  a  prophecy 
of  seven  centuries  was  fulfilled,  "He  shall  make  His  grave  with  the 
rich.'' 

Many  a  man  works  for  God  without  intending  it.  And  oft  He 
taketh  men  in  their  own  devices  against  Himself  and  causes  them  to 
serve  His  purposes — in  His  own  glory  in  the  good  of  men.  No  man 
with  an  honest  heart  can  seek  for  truth  but  shall  be  rewarded  for  his 
pains:  and  whatever  of  truth  he  finds,  it  is  the  gift  of  God  to  Him. 
He  says,  "According  to  thy  faith  so  be  it  unto  you."  Happy  for 
him  who  goes  through  that  well  lighted  way  we  find  in  the  Bible ; 
also  happy  for  him  who  finds  God's  truth  through  the  fogs  of  science, 
or  the  tangled  meshes  of  philosophy. 

In  1  Tim.  6  :20  we  are  warned  against  "Opposition  of  science  falsely 
so  called."  This  is  the  only  place  I  find  the  word  science  in  the 
Bible  except  in  Dan.  1:4.  In  Daniel  it  means  real  science.  But  I 
understand  St.  Paul  to  mean  hypotheses.  And  truly  all  such  is  only 
■cience  falsely  so  called.  Scientific  knowledge  has  never  yet  contra- 
dicted the  teachings  of  the  Bible,  and  the  Bible  encourages  all  true 
science.  And  so  it  does  all  real  philosophy,  but  warns  us  against  the 
vanity  of  conjectural  philosophy.     (Col.  2:8). 

The  pretentious  sometimes  show  their  weakness  by  opposing  Chris- 
tianity.    But  with  the  help  of  the  first  foe  they  will  not  succeed. 

(Matt.  16:18).  ,.  ,    .     ^u  •  .•      •.     •   ^• 

After  all,  it  may  be  that  the  opposition  will  help  Christianity  indi- 
rectly. It  may  cause  the  teachers  of  Christianity  to  study  more 
about  the  questions  they  spring,  and  thereby  be  better  prepared  to 
teach  the  real  truth  in  nature,  as  well  as  in  the  Bible,  on  all  the  sub- 
jects in  discussion,  than  they  otherwise  would  be.  The  Lord  knows, 
of  course,  what  will  be  the  result;  for  as  man  seeth  not,  He  sees  the 
end  from  the  beginning.  It  means,  so  I  think,  a  triumph  for  Chris- 
tianity, that  she  would  not  otherwise  so  completely  have. 

Since  the  miracles  of  Creation  He  has  not  used  His  miraculous 
power  in  nature  only  on  extraordinary  occasions— when  it  was  for 
His  glory.     And  both  the  Old  and  the  New  Testament  being  estab- 


^^^  THE  STORY  OF  CRKATIOX. 

iner  Creation,  to  .ork  out  her  'U^l-o-t;  1^,^,^^^^^^        ^,  ^j.^  ^ 

pro<-e..es  of  grac-c.  Thoonc  un.lertlu    ok      ^  ^^  ^^  ,^f  „.,^  Holy 

dence,  tl.e  otl.o.-  under  the  P''P-^,,t;'"o /apparently  slowly  to 
Spirit,  (.iohn  14:1«-1-)  -'^';  '  "  ',1^^  lu  ea  v  >n  in  the  measures 
lu.r  appointed  j;oal.  so  Ohr.sl  ,a.nt>  ,  '''^»  ,"  „.,  permeates  every 
of  meal,  slowly  it  may  ';PP™^  j^  .'i^tenVs  of  th«u'.d,t  amonfj  n,en, 

thought  of  '"""•  (-  ^■"'-  ,'"-4  '  ?„  Hw  will  to  work  out  together 
brin^in,,-  tlu.>n  all  int.,  su  .servuMK  y  to  H,s      It  ^^^^^^  ^, 

His  ultimate  purposes  of  ^'rae.'   fo.    tlu    l.i^ru. 

mankind,  i  ii,.,i  ,rrail    Oliristianitv  will   bo   in 

When  nature  shall  have  reaehed  tl.a  |""  •,'^„f  „i;  purposes  in 

close  pace  with  lier.  The  "l""«"r,'-;  ":""\v  'u  e"e  Iwo'concurrent. 
point  of  time  will  he  in  '•>"'*'',,P~^''"'*> ;.,,,,.',(  j-ropheey  declares 
Events  time  herself  shall  roll  up  *"  )"''f-7  ^j;  ofime,  therefore, 
that  time  is  to  he.no  more-shall  end       F  <    <  nd  o     i 

i«  to  con,e.  It  i.  said,  :J;^;';-\V:n'  dn'^^'is  so  olnpara.iv^ly  nea; 
me  as  re^-ards  this  life     fhe  e  d  of  .1     I"  V  ,„^„.    ,oken 

Hesays,  "itisa   hand   ,.(/;;,;;'>•,,.:',,,,  ,o  be  very  long. 

OHArrKR  XVIII. 

son  was  to  wcn-k  i;;-  "-^    -  ^     ^^  „   't^.^'n-enee   to  'that    in 

;:;:;Sabo^ttL;:;:<.^:fyrip.u.ssofti.tim^^^^^ 

of  1  eim's  for  it  is  evident  tluit  the  originals  ot  all  specK"s  that  ever 
e.i  ted-aul  that  now  exist,  if  any  have  ceased  from  existencej-»eo 
made  It  first  hv  the  Creator,  (Kx.  2(1:11);  not  by  na  ure,  (xod  is  the 
"ho  of  iffe;  -nature  of  herself  is  inert.  By  herself,  '-;;;"'-' 
—for  she  has  none— she  cannot  give  life  to  anythuig.  Then  how  ( an 
she  chtve  species,  or  bring  in  ^.ew  species?  She  can  do  no  such 
in.'  Hegvetluslife,7,nd  to  everything  that  liveth  anywhere 
•InHimwasMife;  and  the  life  was  the  light  o*'"^"  ./:'"''  'if); 
When  all  was  exposed  to  ruin  Christ  .lesus  gave  Hunselt  for  the  lite 

"'I'l^rtahf  writer  has  said  that  president  X.  Lincoln  was  a  wise 
statesman,  from  the  fact  that  he  watched  the  movements  of  his  peo- 
ple and  neVer  <li,l  an  executive  act  until  he  saw  they  ^yere  ready  for 
it.     So  the  Almighty  in  His  administration  has  brought  every  epoch 


/ 


THE  STORY  OF  CKEATION. 


IV). 


/•  u 


)  I  ^ 


upon  tlio  lunrinn  family,  wlien  the  fullness  of  the  times  were  ripe  for 
them.  So  we  find  in  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  both.  Our  Savior 
of  I  (Ml  told  men  in  their  haste  that  His  time  had  not  yet  eome. 

Nature  was  adjusted  before  man  sinned  to  his  pristine  condition. 
After  he  sinned  she  was  readjusted  to  suit  his  fallen  condition,  and 
so  well  so,  that  many  have  suj^posed  that  the  Lord,  foreseein*^  his 
fall,  provided  for  it  from  the  first;  but  that  obviously  is  a  wron.u' 
i<lea,  for  the  state  of  the  world  since  would  not  at  all  have  suited  his 
pristine  condition.  Then  nature  must  have  chan^'ed  with  him,  out 
of  sympathy  for  him. 

The  Bible  and  nature  both  show  that  the  Lord  is  always  prepared 
to  meet  all  emerj,'encies  that  may  arise,  but  that  He  never  does  any- 
thing until  the  right  and  best  time  for  it  to  be  done.  The  flood  is  an 
example;  the  burning  of  Sodom,  another;  the  exodus  out  of  Kgypt, 
another.  The  destruction  of  the  Oanaanites  must  wait  until  their 
cup  of  iniquity  is  full.  The  manifestation  of  (rod  in  the  tlesh  must 
wait  for  the  fullness  of  tiie  times.  So  nuist  the  cross.  And  the  de- 
scent of  the  Spirit.  And  so  will  the  return  of  the  Jews,  the  expected 
millennium  and  all  other  events  predicted  in  His  inspired  prophecy, 
wait  for  the  unfolding  of  the  Divine  drama.  So  when  in  the  mighty 
strokes  of  Eternity's  pendulum,  duration's  fullness  indicated  the  era 
for  the  Creation  of  all  the  material  worlds.  He  then  by  His  Almighty 
Word,  called  them  into  ])eing,  and  stocked  them  with  or  not  with 
life,  as  Pie  saw  fit.  Since  then  He  has  been  working  for  the  highest 
liappiness  of  those  He  th<3n  created. 

The  Bible  is  intended,  so  [  think,  to  be  a  revelation  of  the  Deity 
and  His  works.  And  the  Scriptures  succeed  well  in  the  effort.  And 
nature,  too.  in  open  volume  stands  as  a  witness  from  the  same 
Author.     In  the  mouth  of  these  two  witnesses  every  word  of  God  \^ 

established. 

It  is  no  use  to  try  to  harmonize  the  Bible  with  speculative  science. 
Let  her  first  harmonize  with  nature's  trutli,  then  she  will  be  in 
accord  with  the  Bible.  She  has  never  yet  found  that  truth.  What 
one  generation  of  her  advocates  declare  to  be  truth  in  nature,  the 
next,  with  equal  affirmation,  declares  to  be  a  mistake,  and  cry  Eureka ! 
You  will  have  to  wait  until  she  finds  the  foundation  before  you  can 
stand  with  her.  When  theology  agrees  with  the  Bible  it  is  sound; 
and  when  science  agrees  with  nature  she  is  true,  not  before. 

Sup])ose  the  days  in  Creation  were  indefinitely  long  periods  of 
time.  Then  the  world's  experience  for  the  first  half  of  the  first  one  of 
them'  w^ould  be  in  total  darkness,  and  there  is  nothing  in  all  of  His 
revealed  works  that  could  compare  with  it,  except  it  be  the. place  of 
outer  darkness  ;  and  the  universe  waited  through  three  of  them  before 
It  received  any  sunlight.  H.  W.  Beecher  is  reported  to  have  said 
when  some  were  advocating  slow  processes  for  conversions,  '  1  he 
human  heart  is  a  rich  soil,  and  grace  is  a  quick  growth.  So  doubt- 
less, in  Creation  "He  spake,  and  it  was  done;  He  commanded,  and 
it  stood  fast."  For  by  faith  we  understand  how  the  worlds  were 
framed  by  the  Word  of  Cod ;   no  doubt  quickly  framed. 

There  is— even  if  it  be  an  error— nothing  iii  all  nature  that  proves  the 
contrary.     Xor  rock,  nor  bone,  nothing  has  yet  been  found  that  con- 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


11 


„e  THE  STORY  or  CBEATIOK. 

M  »  inHuence  of  inlidelity  in  «'='«""*'^J'nme 

In  the  antediluvian  ^v"^'^,^^ ^^^.^  vL  full  of  violence    ((.en.  6  .11 
itate  the  ^iant  men   for  the  ea  u       ^^^  ^^^  ^^^^^   ^^^ 


known  only  as  ■^«"^'."- '"",,"  i„,.iiv  mentally.  'n"™i.j  >"  =i"'-  --■    - 
''''''  "  .'l.T^yead'^or^rnU  the,S^;e  should  be  c-nj     -v  he  u^- 
^h^seTo  v«.^^ich  his  creator  has  given  "- ^^H^^^^'Zlowments 
We  before  hi..  Maker;  '''^""''l  *''7  tm   ifbeeome  acurse  tohim. 
and  use  them  properly,  or  a"    .^^  *'  ^i^  ZL  and  teaching,  are  from 
AH  suppositions  against  ^^'^"^  f*'  "  '  i„n,uiy  lets  escape   f^m  *he 
the  enemy's  ^""'Pri^:,';^  ,!l„k  one    he  can,  (Rev.  9:2.)   And  the 
bottomless  pit,  to  fool  a"     ^  ^apter  «hows  that  in  times  past  that 
"mt:;:lhi;5X.s"  *!ind  tttless  many  do  no.,  in  the  19th 

-r^multiform  modulation  and  ^l^^y,:^,:^: ::T' uj:^' 

fn  oratory  r  but  now  you  hear  one    •^at;'^J'J^,'^'  ,.„e.     You  learn  to 
IS  nuf'i^  il:::?ihtl:::n,Vttch^yourself  intuitively  im.tat- 

'"Vo\;  may  think  you  have  heard  aUtt>e  p^.^liax  ^^f:^  X 
the  human  voice  is  capable  of;  y«,,>.Xa  s  t^iomselves.     The  blind 
as  numerous  as  are  the  ^ZZClehy^u^^Mi^nV^^^^ 
learn  to  recogni/.e  every  ae^f '"''^,";4''^>„ ,    j^  laughter,   in  song,  as 
of  each  one.     It  is  just  so  •"««";'"' ^'^^^e "so  depraved  in  heart  as  to 

the  Supreme  Himself?  aisoositions  prevail   in   human 

See  also  what   various  shades  "'  ^'^P^^'"^^  ,,'   py  to  every  one 
beings.     Sow  here  is  »"«  ^;^>]«  '^  "fy^i^PCr/h^^^^^^^^^^ 
she  meets,  dispensing,  a*/""''^;!;!"^'^,^^"^ poor,  or  degraded  their 
taking  especial  notice  of  ";;^'j''^;:^;;r/o{  good  'cheer^everywhere 

parents  may  be-like  a  ^^PPy  "1^'^f  "^^'j^e.    Is  it,  as  some  philoso- 
shegoes;  as  an  holy  angel  in  mortjils  attire  ,  ^^^      ^^  .^ 


K 


this  w(>rl(l  for  wliicli  He  lays  the  foundation  to  hiiild  upon  by  all  those 
means  of  improvement.  And  he  is  mistaken  who  ascribes  it  to  any- 
tliinj^  less  tlum  (rod  in  Creation.     It  is  one  of  (-reation's  proofs. 

And  here  is  one  of  a  different  disposition  almost  lost  in  admiration 
of  her  sister  whom  she  thinlvs  is  so  happily  enchnved  with  these  fine 
qualities;  yet  no  doubt  is  just  as  holy  as  the  other,  butconstrueted  in 
heart  and  mind  ditTerently,  for  a  ditterent  mediuin  in  this  world,  and 
doini:  the  best  she  can  witli  lier  <i:ifts,  in  theTIeld  alioted  to  her,  shall 
be  equally  blessed  at  last.  The  ])rineipal  dilTerence  between  the  two 
is,  the  first  has  more  eoura.L^e  than  the  other. 

Many  exami)les  of  the  two  kinds  nuMitioned  above  prevail  in  indi- 
viduals of  either  sex;  and  the  ditterent  dispositions  are  as  numerous 
as  the  persons  themselves,  and  is,  therefore,  a  very  j^'reat  proof  of 
Divine  agency  in  the  Creation  of  each.  As  the  peculiarities  in  each 
bear  the  siniilitude  of  the  parents,  so  in  a  spiritual  sense  every 
hunum  beinu'il  bears  the  insio:nia  of  Divine  parentaj^e.  So  that  we 
may  truly  say,  "We  are  also  His  olTsprin.i.r."     (Acts  17:2S). 

D  is  true  sin  has  defaced  the  ima^'e  of  (iod  in   us   by   nature  very 
badly,  yet  rej?eneration  renews  its  every  subject  i!i  the  similitude  of 
Hin^ that  credited  him.     Xor  does  man   bear  the   imaji:e  of  anythin«< 
below  himself.     Every  liviji^' creature  below   him   has  somethinir   in 
common  with  him,  and  some  of  them  have  a  resemblance  to   hini    in 
their  or<?anization,  but  it  only  shows  the  unity   of  all    His   works- 
unity  in  limitless  variety.     All    material  thin<rs  meet  in  man's  body,^ 
while  his  soul  links  him  with  heaven.     His  body  is  an  epitome  oT  all 
earthly  inj^redients,  and  if  a  man  will  think  of  this  it  will  relieve  him 
of  all  doubts,  if  he  has  any,  of  tlie  resurrection  of  the  dead.    Let  him 
think  of  the  vast  resources  that  were  drawn    upon   to  support  those 
bodies  of  his  parents;  occupied  before  he  drew  bein-  from   them— 
and  his  own  was  bein-  euri<msly  framed,  (IM.  Jm):M-l(i),  and  of  the 
resources  that  sustained  his  own  in  childhood  and  youth  and  in  all  his 
riper  vears  since,  and  he  will  see  that  every  zone  of  earth   has  been 
taxed'to  -ive  him  and  to  support  the  body  he  now  has  all  these  years. 
Nor  will  it  cost  providence  more  to  furnish  the  resurrected  body.     U 
is  by  no  means  more  incredulous  than  how  we  <xot  the  bodies  we  now 
have ;  and,  too,  how  they  have  been  sustained  all  the  days  of  our  lives. 
If  any  doubt  it    is   because   they  do   not  take   sutficient   pains   to 
think.     H  they  would  only  think  on  it  as  they  should,  their  doubts 
would  vanish  like  fo-  before  the  sun  ;  or  it  would  dissipate  the  dark- 
ness, fill  the  space  with  light,  as  the  bri^'ht  shinin-  of  a  candle  doth 
give  thee  light.     (Luke  1 1  ::i8-m).) 

But  if  their  theory  is  true,  then  we  might  say: 

The  evolutionist  'kin. 

The" next  step  in  life's  scale. 

Found  him  with  a  tail ; 

After  pas.-iing  through  a  higher  shop. 

He  traveled  by  the  ho}). 

In  the  woods  awhile. 

With  the  monkies  he  ditl  tile; 


f. 


3 


^l 


u 


*^. 


,A  ijr'^  Cv.. 


118. 


THE  STC-RY  OF  CREATION. 

'KfaVfflvf^i'treaUy  aside; 

rufantetlrof^pe.e.evertound; 
For  the  next  step  in  life  s  span, 
Made  liim  a  man. 

From  instinct  to  reason  ^'•""f''*-  .  „.,„,,t . 
Suffleient  to  span  tlie  world  at  a  *  ^"g'^^  ' 
\M  Ion-  did  over  the  ^^^^"\''!\^' 
Then  the  forked  liL-htnin-  did  stnde- 
With  ima^'inalion  unhereft— 

\ll  the  realms  of  nature  swept. 

From  inslin-t  of  tiny  fowl. 

To  a  mental  mold. 

Which  Clin  a  universe  hold. 

And  write  her  history  on  a  scroll. 

Xow  lot  us  see ; 

With  what  human  e.Kperience 

Does  such  a  tiling'  a<jree? 


THK  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


119. 


\ 


OUAITKR  XIX. 

.1  f  i-wtntle  was  the  first  to  discover,  oral  least 
SO.ME  writers  say  tha  •'^"r*"V-!>.?  n,e  norv  and  recollection  in  manr 
.to  racogni/e  distinctly,  nnaguuit.on,  '"f  """f^  f  "^,'^6;^,^  Those  fac- 
kind.  ('.ertainly  those  who  say  so  ^^^^^^^  ^e„Honed  as  far  back 
„lties-their  uses  an.l  '^b"''''''-f'^%'',"l'\\'"*LdTnd  before.  "Every 
as  Exodus  and  (ienesis;  as  ff/;«,;'<,f;;t^;.^:lye,^>l  continually.'' 
ijna.ination  of  e  thcu^s  ^J^^^^^H  is 'only  evil  fron,  his 
vmUh"'  feen.  S-t'ir'-RenKuubor  the  Sabbath  day  to  keep  .t  holy. 

■^'xo  Uw^could  be  made  ^^ective  over  m..  if  they  ha^^^^^^^^^^^ 
rren    l-"8«.  ^> III  7  .    "n^e'could  not  remember  the  law  and  its 

nee  its  fultillment  unto  this  day.  ,      ,       .  i  ^  r^n,^nf.,.iv 

V    orsehassomo  imMnory.     Carry  him   hack  >yhere  he  formoi  > 
liv^ed     as  soon  as  ho  sees  the  fork  of  the  road  that  leads  to  the  old 
K'  be  ;sMl  Iv  ant  to  take  it.  And  all  animals  show  some  s,<ms  o    it 
^  If  they  had  less  of  memory  tliey  could  not  he  so  convenient  and  as 
useful  to  lis  as  they  are.     And  if  they  had  more,  they  mi^ht   rebel 


and  use  their  j^reat  stren;,'th  aj^^ainst  us.  It  is  wise  in  the  ( -reator 
that  they  are  made  as  they  are.  One  never  submits  to  me,  nor  runs 
from  me,  but  I  think  of  that  act  of  the  Creator  which  gives  us  lasting 
dominion  over  them.  Xor  does  a  snake  get  out  of  my  presence,  but 
I  think  of  that,  the  first,  storv  even  written  about  them.  (Gen. 
8:1-15).  Surely  the  truth  of  the  Bible  is  writ  in  all  nature  today. 
They  fulfill  it;  they  all  recognize  man's  superiority  to  them.  Every 
species  of  them  do — in  obedience  or  flight. 

We  have  a  fine  illustration  of  the  grounds  for  this  superiority  in 
Daniel  4:8H-87.  It  is  founded  in  nature.  Here  we  see  plainly  the 
difference  between  instinct  and  reason.  For  a  purpose  the  Lord 
caused  the  king  to  have  for  seven  years  the  experience  of  beasts  and 
of  birds. 

It  was  not  an  ascent,  either;  but  a  descent.     By  (lod's  miraculous 
power  he  was  brought  into  the  estate  of  an  ox.     His  stomach  was  so 
changed  as  to  relish  grass,  and  digest  it  as  an  ox.     Then  by  the  saine 
powei-  he  was  changed  back  as  before.     He  was  the  only  man   that 
ever  came  from  the  estate  of  beasts.     Not  by  evolution  though.     He 
was  con.scious  that  the  understanding  of  a  man  had  left  him,  and 
for  the  time  being  he  exoerienced  the  full  powers  of  beastly  instincts. 
He  confesses  that  while  in  that  state  he  had  neither  reason   nor 
understanding,  and  that  when  he  was  restored  to  man's  estate  his 
reason  and  understanding  returned  to  him.     This  case  shows  some  ol 
the  differences  between  instinct  and  mentality.    He  also  experienced 
in  part  at  least,  the  life  of  an  eagle.     But  neither  of  these  states  had 
reason  and  understanding.     But  when  these  conditions  passed  from 
him  his  reason  and  understanding  returned  to  him  ;  he  was  conscious 
of  it;  of  his  former  power  of  mind  in  all  things;  the  fact  was  estab- 
lished by  the  examination  he  was  carried  through  by  the  wise  men  of 
his  kingdom  ;  they  restored  him  to  his  reign.     While  in   the   beastly 
conditions— as  a  beast,  he  had  as  much  memory  as  they  \ftve— like  a 
lost  soul  in  torment— regretting  those  sins  that  brought  all   these 
misfortunes  upon  him.     For  there  memory  goads  the  lost  soul  with 
most  painful  regrets— as  Nebuchadnezzar  remembers  in  that   beastly 
estate  his  lost  opportunities  which  only  intensities  his  present  suffer- 
ings;  so  memory  of  the  losses  sustained,  as  well  as  of  the  sins  com- 
mitted, is  an  everlasting  tormentor  to  the  damned.     I    believe  the 
history  sustains  the  proposition  that  these  sad  misfortunes  were  the 
sanctified  means  of  saving  this  otherwise  proud  heathen   monarch. 

The  difference  between  mankind  and  beasts  appears  also  in   this: 

No  beast  is  known  to  laugh;  they  have  a  sense  of  «PP^^7fY^"J"f 

show  it,  each  in  his  own  peculiar  way,  but  never  1^;^^'  ^-     j^  '"JZe 

liar  to  the  human  species  to  express  delight  by  ,^^"^1^^^' f,"^.  |*^^. 

deeper  the  laugh,  the  truer  the  joy;  the  more  real  the  friendship  of 

thedrt  whence  it  comes,  or  the  truer  that  spirit  which  expresses 

s  del  llWi     that  way.     One's  true  self  can  be  seen  in  his  manper  of 

augh   r<A  it  can  be  real  or  only  artificial.     It  is  evidence  o    a  cow- 

iSr^ueanness   of   spirit-to  reprove  another    or  ^SJJUt^^;^"  ;^»" 

aii-hin-  ways.     Far  more  manly  to  do  it  straight   and  better   too 

or  fet  the  oHier  enjoy  the  pleasure,  if  it   is  only  pleasure.     Natural 


"U 


\ 


THK  STOKY  OF  CKKATION. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


121. 


120.  ,,    , 

.,  theiv  W  rojoicini.'  there;  Uod 


\ 


r'ar!:iu:.  ,:;;;fr:^ --flji;  ^-•^^it  p^ture  or  Km.  .r,.nos, 

1    was    in>presse.l  when   =.  '•       '  '  ^/."I^Jl.u..,  a.  those  naunil- 
wlien  he  wanted  to  reach  up  '"-'''"J"  „'^ ,,",  „ot  want  his  neek  nor 
Ihave  said  of  the  .irafte;  ^<->:;-  ^  „^    ^ITlw^t  satisfied  with  the 
his  arms  to  be  any  lonfrer  in  ""'*"'^ '" '"        ,(  ^eal  sjiraffes  no  dmibt 
length  of  his  neek  and  of  "=*«["';,;;'„:.:„,  ot  their  neeks,  hoxyever 
ha^e  always  been  satisfied  with  tb^  leVin  satisfied 

rh  fho^e  writers  Invve  -'-J^-^f  ->  ;  ,  .^ .,  ^eok  to  reach  higher 
with  the  way  he  was  made,  '  f^,""  '/,^VBil.lc  to  stand  on  so  he  couh 
_liis  servants  oftereil  linn  a  '»'-"■/""  ';V.5,,riiv  it  was  ottered,  and 
n.  1  He  refused  thai  r.ivor,  ^<^Z^^ ^-^  "'»♦  ^'^''^''^  ' 
,aid,  -(ioil  forbid  tl>at  I  shoukpu^.-l^<.'ble  abused  or  put  to  a 
ou«ht  . o  put  in  my  heiid^  >>  ^  ^^;.^^  ^^,,^,  „^,,,  king  said. 
\vron«r  use,  but  1  tnmK  oi  ^>iici« ^ 

(m AFTER  XX. 

RKO.sr,.v  I  saw  a  ^lind  man  kind     led  b>  a  see.        .^.^^  ^^.         ... 
not  by  sisbt  nor  '"'^'-;  '      /  ^  I     ,  ,o  have    believe<l   that   those 
dence,   as   Sir  Isaac  P*''"  •'",  ^,'1^    ,„„,ea  |,y   Providence,  which  I 
remarkable  actions  of  animals  are  RUiaed     } 
think  in  many  eases  IS  1  rue  market— with  what  bis 

And  once  I  saw  a  cnpple    \''<^X,,"^Vther  pushing  his  roller 

han,lsl,«d  '"«'l''-b>-  J"r-'"f,^J"tlu„ed"to.lo.  When  he  wanted 
<.hair  from  behind  as  they  bad  been    "    ^^^   ,o  ^^^^^^^^  ^^.^,^   ,^,^ 

theni  to  push  more  he  wo;"'/'''";^  ,  hi  n  Thns  inslinct  often  in 
whip.  an<l  they  would  .lo  tlieir  best  '''''",,',  i,,,^  ■„  {„ltilled  in  it 
a  remarkable  manner  serves  reason.     .\nd 

^  ^"^  a'  Sov<.b  says  a  live  do.  is  better  .^,an  a  dead  lion.     «>- -unon 

'n  dtr-'ru':  it;- Hit],'r;:^omrt-  ca'^r.^e  used  to  advantage. 

-^::::li  ;:•  t:;::ii::;:' whn,  adinirm.  the  ->- -;-r,f:i 

Z!:^Zi  Hlst::^  irit  d^a::  ;;pk  ^^:l  and  ,ry  to  use  it  as 
f^ar^inent  against. he  true  order  of^c^^^^^^  ,„  ,„,,, 

If  it  be  a  fact  .hat  these         "  '  '  ™,;;,,e  ,  from  them.  then,  in 
Creator  and  Benefm-tor  and  tha     n.      as  en,,e  ^^^.^ 

--•^'"•rer^lf.t""";,  U  be'lbrinkfulwh^  He  sends  them 

whippin.ir— Nvhen  it   is  over. 


If  man  is  bt*astly  derived,  tlien  the  superior  instinct   that  out  of 
alTeetion  to  its  owner  saves  a  human  life  where  reason  is  blind  to  tho 
inipendini,'  danger,  would  show  that  the  ancestors  were  wiser  than  are 
their  descendants:  whereas,   the  evolutionists  claim   that  the  ten- 
dency is  upwards.     In  all  such  cases  their  theory  fails.     But  reason, 
assisted  bv  faith,  solves  the  situation— escapes  the  impending  danger. 
For  faith  'has  an  intuitive  warning  for  a  (lod  fearing  person   that 
saves  life;  when  instinct  and  reason  both  would  fail  to  see  the  dan- 
ger.    I  could  give  many  examples  of  the  kind.     And  in  all  those 
cases  where  persons  are  saved  by  instinct  and  affection  of  animals,  I 
think  it  is  by  Providence  they  are  thus  warned,  and  by  heeding  that 
warning  IleVhus  sends,  are  saved.     Or  after  plunged  into  imminent 
dailger— saved  by  an  animal— it  is,  I  think.  Providence  that  move^ 
the  animal  by  instict  to  do  it.    I  would  praise  the  Lord  for  it,  as  well 
as  repay  the  animal  all  I  could.  j       .     • 

The  lives  of  two  boys  were  saved  once  by  their  steed  refusing  to^ 
enter  a  certain  wood  they  had  to  go  through  to  get  home,  which  was 
in  a  few  moments  afterward  destroyed  by  a  cyclone;  which  I  believe 
was  providential.  The  horse  had  an  instinctive  sense  of  the  danger 
from  the  timber  on  either  side  of  the  road  and  was  caused  to  have  a 
sensibility  of  the  nearness  of  the  fearful  storm,  and  but  for  his 
refusal  to  enter  it,  they  no  doubt  would  have  perished,  and  tlie  horse 
too.  I  give  the  Lord  the  praise  in  all  such  cases,  as  well  as  I  do 
when  there  is  no  animal  in  it,  and  the  warning  comes  directly  to 
human  conscicmsness,  as  is  often  the  case.  .      ,       .,        .  ^ 

I  heard  of  a  pet  jjander  once  that  gave  notice  lo  the  family  of  the 
unfortunate  condition  of  his  master— who,  in  his  presence  only,  had 
been  prostrated  by  a  stroke  of  lightning-by  Hying  to  the  house  and 
back   to  the  barn   where  his   master  was  lying  in  a  state  of  uncon- 
sciousness.    All  such,  instances  I   regard  as  providential,  but  those 
who  discard  Providence  will  have  to  accept  the  conclusion   that  on 
their  evolutionary   theory   instinct   in  the  ancestors  was  wiser  than 
reason  in  the  higher  ascendants,  as  they  claim,  from  them. 
.    We  admire  the  prescience  of  the  bee  and  the  ant,  the  cunning  of 
the  fox,  the  imitation  of  the  monkey,  but  sometimes  it  is  the  goose 
that  shows  the  superior  instinct,   especially    in   her  migrations  in 
search  of  a  congenial  dime-where  she  finds  both  food  and  comfort- 
thus  avoiding  the  necessity  of  permanent  preparations  for  life.     It  is 
lainly  seen  there  is  no  chain  of  progression,  anyway  or  anywhere, 
from  lowe-st  to  highest  among  them.     In  anatomy  ^'^.^  "P^^;"^*;^^  7^ 
sembles  man  than  any  other  animal;   in  domestic  life,  the  cat,  in 
Tffec  ion    thedog;  in  pathology,  the  horse;  while  some  small   am- 
nuOs,       dsoniein^  well,  approach   more  -^^^'y .^^^^  J^ 

si^it  in  preparing  for  their  future  wants.  Even  inspiration  draA^s 
unon  these  smallcreatures,  as  the  ant  and  the  cony-daman-(Prov 
'  on  1^  teach  us  prescience  in  making  spiritual  preparation  for  he 
lon^";;  eaft  r  Hiasonu^ti,^  it  is  the  so-called  silly  goose  tliat 
excels  thcMu^dl  in  affection  and  in  instinct  too.  There  is  a  countless 
rrftvnse  lent  beings  in  inlernal  structure,  -f^^-^--.-  J^^.^^^, 
he  mtv  of  different  degrees  of  natural  sagacity  and  docility,  but  no 
Lraded'sclleof  L        i'i  fo.nd  in  all  nature.     Nor  do  they  claim   to 


122. 


THE 


C  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


THE  RTORY  OF  CREATION. 


128. 


..uve  founa  U  in  roaUry :  nor  .Ul  U  .Won;;^.  ._^  .^^   ^;^^^,,^      ,,ter 

Ood's  v^ork  is  perf.-ct      And  t'.  i   I  ^^  ^_^^,,  .^  „,g„.    T  e  sa. 

its  kind.     The  h.-rse  .s  .««  Pf;J' ^;'>,      Xor  can  it  be  proved  tl'«t  a  V 
,.a„  1,0  said  of  •'very  l.vmf.'  crea  u    .  ^^  ^^^^.^„^    ,  e.     Neither 

„t  then,  liave  ever  ehan-e.l  '"•""*''  ,^^^  ,jeen  brouglit  in.     Some 
I^ln  it  be  shown   Unit    «'»■ 'T     P'^^^Jv   think   it   wi"   help,  try  to 
o?!  ....  to  .nake  out  their  <l'""\-f.',?,ie       While  others  want  to 
llow  their  creatures  with  •■'«•;  ^/''^^.n  all  together,  it  is  a  sense- 

,„,.„  slept  an  enemy  •>»> /'''^- ,.X  w4teh  for  their  sleepin?  com- 

w=a  hi,..%ver  all   His  '^^TTZ:^^^'-^"'"'"^'"'  ^'"'"'"r 
,„„„,.,  kind,  and  wak.n,'    ';■",    P,;^,*^  ',.i    life  in  repose-asleep-yet 
,.  umre  lovely  than  all  "^^"2"   sl.^1  -but  unse.itient  .lature  l.ke  a 

safe  in  His  care-even  *''f^P'f"'\„^ti<,f  her  sleeping  passengers. 

mi-hty  train  n.oves  o.i  w.th  ^'f^''"'^*'' '^^^^  „    automatically  or  prov- 
Now  let  us  ask  the  .loctors.  J"  "^'7;;  ^^V^  ^Uer  the  depth,  ..or  the 

identially?     F^-'V'"'''*"  ^^ 'X  ^on  our  v^^^^        •*   '''  '''^"''   ''  '"i 
duration  of  our  sleep.  •''^P'""'':.     ""k,^";  the  da.ijrers  that  surround 

sleep,  we  sleep  in  U,s  «"•''•  .-^'/'"^erlivi..!:  .M-eat«res;  ..or  from 
them,  by  foes  of  their  ow.,  *^;  ;  "'^.^^Xc^  v.  Earthquakes,  or  volca- 
the  elements  of  na  u.;e.  as  ^  '  '^'Xtw  ^ny  man  of  balanced  reason 
noes.     This  of  itself  '^f^'^'itn "  t   eorv ?s  a  palpable  fallacy.  „ 

that  a  no  Creation,  .lo  l''-"y'f'":  ♦^^"j^/ Ais' wonderful  works." 
■•(),  that  men  would  pra.se  *.''^J;"  *  '"^,  ,<,n,e  „,en  sinks  them 
(Ps..  107:8-ir,--il-«l)^     Hut  t'»;(  K^t'  ^^^  «^  ^^-J^f  ,„,,„  rto,  they  are 
below  the  beasts,     l.j  ...any         .^^.  '        -  ,,,,  ,„ea..er  tba., 

worse  than  beasts.     Tn  «>"»  '  ""Sj'f^  ^"ep.  at  that.     Such  as  all  per- 

a  (log;  one  that  sucks  ^f ''»"£':'   V;,Xy  are  of  dogs,  bate  'e.!.. 
sons  hate;  >^ven  I  he  <  ark.es   as  f  m     as  tliey  .^   ^^^^^^.^^^  ^^^ 

One  day  as  T  passed  o.ie  of      e.    lomoj,  a  wo^  ^^^^  ^^^^^ 

S'o-  brertt:::,-  fZ.r:;^:  1  "ilri^t.  nothiu,  that  is  ..od  for 

Ft,  only  to  kill  'em. 

(llI.\n'KR  XXT. 
0,:r  domestic  animals  have  no  sense  of  »1<^   fl'j;'";-^,.  \lj^  ^^Z7r 

7''\'rbr;T..f;a:"ordeif[^^;^ir:ii:  r.::;  .mi'iurja  thm.  to  .row  and 

feed,  they  nmH  out  or  ^i*^-^^   •>  helpless  as  infants. 

r  f.r  :n.Uhe  <."''~  Tat't'^f^rm^nVave  to  be  provided 


\ 


for  by  man.  And  herein  His  providence  is  as  marked  as  it  is  in  those 
which  by  foresight  provide  for  themselves.  And  He  holds  lis  to  the 
law  of  compensation  for  those  that  serve  us. 

Man  is  the  thinker.  He  has  to  tliink  and  provide  beforehand  for 
his  future  wants,  and  also  for  his  animals,  as  well  as  for  his  family. 
The  word  man,  it  is  said,  means  to  think.  Herein  he  holds  superior- 
ity over  everything  in  this  world.  A  horse,  or  ox,  or  cow,  will  head 
from  the  cold  wind  for  comfort.  When  they  want  to  ease  themselves, 
apt  as  not,  will  drop  their  excrement  in  the  feed  tn)ugh.  An<l  why? 
Because  thev  don't  think.  But  it  is  inherent  in  the  very  nature  of 
man  to  think  ahead  of  himself  for  time  and  eternity.  Hence  we  see 
him  everywhere,  except  in  those  countries  where  he  thinks  it  is  not 
necessary,  laying  up  for  the  future  of  this  life  more  or  less.  And 
civilized  man  does  it  everywhere.  But  the  highest  office  of  reason  is 
to  provide  for  our  soul's  wants;  not  only  in  this  life,  but  for  the  life 
which  is  to  follow  this.  For  all  these  interests  man  has  a  happy 
combination  of  instinct,  reason  and  faith.  He  has  mentality  to  pro- 
ject and  hands  to  execute  his  designs;  herein  he  is  far  above  every- 
thing that  moves  upon  the  earth. 

By  application  of  intelligence  to  unfeeling  matter  he  brings  it  into 
his  use,  and  makes  all  life  below  him   subservient  to   his   will.     His 
lordship  has  ever  stood  out  in  bold  relief  \u  the  face  of  all  nature,  and 
his  royalty,  at  first  guaranteed  to  him  by  His  Maker,  has  ev<'r  l)een 
sure  in  his  line  of  descent  from  the  head  of  his  dymisty.     Yes,  indeed, 
man  is  more  than  animal.     His  highest  enjoyment  depends  not  upon 
the  gratification  of  his  fleshly  passions,  but  upon  the  normal   action 
of  both  his  mind  and  heart.  *  If  a  man's  mind  is  not  acting  normally 
he  cannot  have  that  connubial  happiness  with  his  wife  he  otherwise 
would  have,  and  it  requires  the  proper  action  of  his  heart  also  to 
bring  it  to  its  highest  enjoyment;  which  is  not  the  case  with  beasts. 
It  is'^true  also  with  man   in  every  other   kind   of  enjoyment.     His 
threefold  nature  has  to  be  in  a  normal  condition  in  every  department 
for  him  to  have  his  proper  enjoyment  as  a  man.     He  is  two  degrees 
above  every  other  form  of  animal  life,  both  in  projection  and  accom- 
plishment.' With  his  mind  he  projects,  with  his  hands  he  accomplishes. 
Our  animals  will  tight  for  their  young,  but  after  they  wean   them 
they  care  no  more,  apparently,  for  them  than  for  others  of  the  same 
kind      Nor  do  the  young  ones  care  any  more  for  their  dams  than  for 
anv  other  beasts  of  the  same  species.     But  with  mankind  it  is  very 
different;    the    mother   loves   her   infant   very   tenderly,   but   more 
«tronLdv  as  the  vears  come  and  go;   it   is  a  life-long  love;  and  the 
children  love  their  parents,  too,  while  young,  and  with  an  increasing 
love  as  time  creeps  upon  them,  and  long  years  of  separation  by  death 
does  not   efface  it.     In   this  life-long  affection    they   approach   the 
Divine  nature  more   nearly,  perhaps,  than  in  anything  el.se ;  for  the 
Lord  loves  with  an  everlasting  love.     Nor  does  love  in  the  human  die 
with  the  body,  for  it  belongs  to  the  Spirit  and  is  iminortal. 

It  is  but  reasonable  to  suppose  that   the  associations  of  heaven 

would  develop  love,  rather  than  lessen  it.     -Love  is  of  (rod.        He 

hat    o vet h  is^f  (lod.     If  we   love  our  fellows  here,  it    s  an  evidence 

that  we'ove  (^od;  and  if  we  love  (rod,  it  is  evi<lence  of  our   sonsh.p 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


.   r.f  oil  tli'm  bv  nature,  but  by  a 
tow.nl  Hi,.,.     A  „„,,,  '•;;-;;';-;     ,    ',  ,'  to  L.,  ana  .-rows  upon 

^Tt-  so-ne  of  .heso  w,-,..,.  want  to  say  '-"iJ-V.mn;' Ulais'^i::;" 
_„  ,na..l.i„e  in  P>'n-U,a,  ,,,on..     >.v  n^c^^^  .^  ,_^^,,  ^^  ^^     , 

of  his  own."     So  has  a  sU,  .l,o,-„     o   •     A,         V.iox  tU_  ^^^ 

n  will  of  his  own.     If  .v.>i,i-  l,o,-sr  .Ion      «    I   '•    '''^  ..„„,,.   ,^,„.h 

will  not  eat  for  all  you,- n.ax,,,,'.,    .Xn'   th         '' ^^l^  .„  J„,,„„,,,  i. 
hotlpr  is  a  „,an   than   a   boa.-t.        ll,.>t     s, '"  ' 

hi.'hor  in  csliniation  an,l  l>y  t!roat,on  h,f;h..r. 

.' ::  !rn.o!;,.  ?!<■  -'  will  1'.  r"^'  ;"•"  ^-Tu  ^^  i'rz'i 'wMrt 

11  -i^.^f       If  ili<»  witness  refuses  to  speak  it  i^  puiiisiuinit  ij> 

Hw  lluUftbe  e  wH  ^^  i-orm-t,  then  hJ  ou.ht  not  to  be  pun- 
'  e<  >^  r  vord  .'  to  their  theory,  it  was  not  his  ehoiee  to  treat 
1       <mrV  vi  h  eonten.r.t,  it  was  only  an  autoniatie  action  for  wluch  he 

s  nci;  r::;::nilb;r\ve  L;>ui.i  not  fan  out  wit  ha  --;;^^---'  --;:: 

his  opinion  is  different  from  ours  on  soniethin-s   '>^^^ .^^^^/;f/,;:^^:!':;*  ' 
hat  every  man  is  (;o<rs  workn.anship.    As  the  Apostle  sa.th^      N       > 
aketh  thee  to  differV"    (1  Cor.  4:7).     What  do  we  k"ow  of  Hi^      d- 
. :..  «,.....^-  xvrn.L-or'>     Kverv  honest  worker  is  in  some  \\. 


vet  Hke  the  human  raee,  she  is  united  in  the  only  one  species. 
'    The  raee  is  essentially  one.     So  is  that    relii^ion  <,'iven  for  its  salva- 
tion,    (rod  is  one.     Nature  is  one.     Reii^non    is  one.     There  is   no 
relio'ion  but  that  which    is   authorized   in   the   Rihle.     (1  (-or.  8  :4-()). 
Eve'^-y  person  that  is  a  ( "hristian  in  heart   and   life  will    he   saved   in 


\ 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


125. 


///<^/tA^..^'?^^4 


spite  ot  whatever  name  may  he  attached  to  one.     From  the  -jant  to 
the  dwarf,  from  the  Caucasian   to   the   Hottentot,  every  one"  hat   is 
noruiai  possesses  all  the  characteristics  peculiar  to  the^uiman  raee 
To  the  genera    race  of  man  in  its  unity  of  s,)eeies,  as  the  Bible  savs,' 

He  hath  made  of  one  blood  all  nations,"  and  for  this  purpose,  that 
the,' nn^h  dwell  on  all  the  face  of  the  eart  h.  And  Me  so  commanded 
Jlis  \Mll,  then,  IS  that  this  one  race  should  cover  this  one  earth-  and 
this  one  rel,.ir,on  is  for  the  whole  world.  The  time  for  the  comin-  of 
each  nation  upon  the  theatre  of  action  was  prepared,  and  its  liinits 
piTdetermmed  That  they  should  seek  the  Lord,  find  Him,  and  serve 
H.m      (Acts  1 1  :2(;-27).     That  is  the  hi<,diest  mission. 

Y  hen  our  Savior  chose  His  twelve  apostles  we  would  suppose  He 
had  referenee  to  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel.  Vet  He  may  have  had  a 
broader  view  i!i  His  mind.  Ho  may  have  had  also  a  reference  to  the 
twelve  si-ns  of  the  zodiac.  As  He  was  a  li,-ht  to  the  (Gentile  nations 
as  well  as  to  His  people  Israel;  so  should  CHiristianity  li-hten  all  the 
nations  of  earth  :  and  shine  as  lon«r  as  the  cirele|  of  the  skies  should 
endure.  ' 


('HAFTER  XXII 


iTseemsthat  the  hi-lior  critics  'Svent  about  to  kill"  Mo^o<-  and 
tor  a  pretext  they  tried  to  kill  Homer,  too.  They  didn't  have'anv- 
thin-a«rainst  Homer,  however;  but  as  he  had  the  misfortune  to  be 
old.  they  thou<>-ht  it  would  ^/ivo  them  an  excuse  to  strike  Moses  who 
was  much  older.  The  objection  they  had  to  Moses  was  that  he  knew 
too  much  to  suit  them. 

I  supi)ose  that  is  the  objection  "this  <,^eneration'*  has  to  the  old 
men  of  this  time.  It  is  said  that  they  now  rele«,mte  the  old  folks  to 
the  rear.  It  seems  to  me  tdiat  that  is  a  little  bit  heathenish,  for 
there  they  kill  'em  straiij^ht  out. 

The  .Alohammedans  to  establish  the  Koran  tried  to  destroy  all  other 
books.  So  the  hi<,dier  critics,  in  order  to  destroy  the  Bible,  are  try- 
in<>'  to  destroy  all  ancient  literature. 

^^  Shakspeare  says,  "He  who  steals  my  ])urse  steals  trash,  Twas  mine, 
'Tis  Jlis,  'Tis  somelhlno-,  'Tis  notlun<.^  Has  served  many,  but  he  who 
pilfers  my  <>:ood  name  rol)s  me  of  that  which  enricln^s  not  him  But 
leaves  me  poor  indeed."  So,  if  they  could  succeed,  they  would  not 
enrich  themselves,  but  leave  the  world  poor  indeed.  Surely  it  is  an 
unenviable  work.  But  they  will  not  succeed,  unless,  it  is  in  destroy- 
in  <,'  themselves. 

For  the  most  part  they  have  ^^ot  their  bread  and  meat  from  Bible 
influences,  and  now,  having  ,Ln-own  fat  and  stolid,  they  show  their 
thanks  by  turnin,<4  tlieir  heels  a,u-ainst  it,  and  are  fulfilling;  the  words 
of  Mo.ses  in  it,  (Deut.  ^52:15),  "But  Jeshurun  waxed  fat  and  kicked: 
thou  art  waxen  fat,  thou  art  jjjrown  thick,  t^iou  art  covered  with  fat- 
ness; then  he  forsook  (fod  which  made  him,  and  liirhtly  esteemed 
the  Roek  of  his  salvation."     Indeed,  consistency  is  a  jewel. 

Christianity  fostered  education,  and  throui^h  her  influence  they 
Grot  a  chance  at  learnimr,  Init  either  fori^ot  or  ne<;lected  to  apply  what 
a  certain  poet  has  said  :     "A   little   learning:  is  a  dan«]^erous  thing; 


126. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


,.Hn.  .o.,>.  or  taste  not  ^^^ ^'^l',:^!^^:^,^^^!.  tZrC^ 
thanks  to  lier ;  and  prove  it  to  bo  a  fat  t,  it  \^\^;  ^  y.  ^^  .^  ^^  ^^.^y^ 
the  foiuKhvtion  it  will  be  unsteady  It  wou  d  have  been  v^^^^^^  to  hue 
observed  tluit   caution    -iven    by   tlie   -reatest  of    Teachers,  I3iau. 

' 'Ll>^Maeau]y  in  hi.  eritieisuis  on  tlie  poets  seems  to  i"<^^in^^^^^^ 
on  ion  that  it  rec.uires  a  certain  amount  of  mental  unsoundness  to 
make  a  '  d  poet.^  1  think,  however,  it  takes  both  ripeness  and  m o  1- 
ri'e^s^o  uKd.e  a  ,^ood  poet.  (Genuine  poetry  I  believe  ^P-^-^^^^^  ^ 
of  the  mellowness  (.f  ripened  human  nature.  Our  en  ic  -oe>  on  to 
savthat  Homer  was  the  greatest  and  the  truest  of  all  poet^  ;  P  to 
that  time.  U  seems,  thou-h,  that  the  Hi-her  (Unties  are  wilhn-  to 
saerifiee  him  if  they  can  only  <;et  a  lick  at  .Moses. 

\ature  did  her  best  work  in  Homer.  It  took  her  a  Ion-  while  attei 
to^^roduce  :Milton.  Shakspeare  and  (Joethe.  But  ever  an.l  anon  she 
is  at  her  hi-hest,  then  on  lier  ordinary  level  for  Ion-  periods  ot  time. 
Of  late,  however,  the  Hi-hei-  (U-itics  in  their  anxiety  to  destroy  the 
Bible,  have  lost  si-ht  of  everything  el.se  and  devoted  all  to  that 
Like  hots  in  a  horse's  stomach,  they  have  let  -o  overythmo:  else  and 
have  -one  to  -nawin-  the  mare  that  has  supported  them  over  since 
they  were  hatched,  and  without  which  they  couldn't  live.  ^ 

I  find  in  studyin-  the  Bible  the  thin-  that  puzzled  the  inspired 
writers  most  was  the  fact  that  the  Lord  often  suttered  the  wicked  to 
destroy  the  ri-hteous.  And  of  all,  it  has  been  the  most  puzzlin<,^  to 
me;  yet  as  much  so  as  it  has  been,  it  is  a  hi-h  proof  of  the  inspira- 
tion of  the  Bible,  for  no  man  would  make  a  Bible  and  put  that  in  it 
Of  himself;  for  he  would  not  see  any  justice  in  it,  nor  (^ould  could  he 
see  the  wi.sdom  in  permit  tin-  it  to  bo.  The  thou-ht  of  it  is  alto- 
jxether  forei-n  to  the  natural  ideas  of  mankind. 

Men  have  alwavs  believed  in  inspiration    froin   some  superhuman 
source.     The  Hebrew  depended  upon  the  Almi-hty,  and  the  (lentilo 
upon  some  ima-inary  j>'<)d.     Hence  all  of  their  poets,  orators,  philos- 
ophers and  artists  waited  for  their  muses  to  brin-  the  happy  spells 
of  -enius  upon  them.     And   those  ^o-called  skeptical  writers  of  mod- 
enrtimes  believe  in  an  undefined  somethin- they  call  fate.  But  there 
is  no  real  inspiration  or  revelation  suj)erliuman  but  of  Ood.     Nor  is 
there  any  fate  but  the  workin-  of  His  providence,  either  directly,  or 
by  laws  of  retribution  punishin-  wron-  doin-,  or  rewardin-  virtue  in 
her  various  fields  of  endeavor,  or  of  patient  sutterin-  for  His  sake. 
Therefore  the  universal  belief  of  the  heathen,  as  well  as  of  the  Chris- 
tian, is  in  proof  of  that  -uidin-  Providence  that  has  ever  been  in  the 
human   race,  which   seein-  results  Ion-  before  their  incipiency  in  a 
well  ordered  chain  of  events — unseen  by  man  and  above  his  control — 
3'et  surely  works  them  out. 

Whence  came  this  universal  belief  in  inspiration?  From  the  fact 
that  it  was  once  commoH  in  the  line  of  true  reli-ion.  And  those 
heathens,  thou-h  fallen  away  from  it,  carried  with  them  some  fra-- 
ments  of  ori-inal  truth  and  faith.  (Acts  14:12).  Here  these  heathen.s 
believed  that  Paul  and  Barnabas  were  inspired  of  the  -ods.  Their 
poets  and  philosophers  believed  in  inspiration. 

It  was  commonly  belicn-ed  that  Adam  had  tlu^-lft  of  prophecy,  and 


\ 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


./ 


i 


127. 


shown   in     Vnl^   ^^      '^r'^^  "''"^'^^^   ^^'^  patriarchal  blessing,  as  Is 
MiOAxn   in   (xenesis  twenty-seventh  and  forty-ninth  chaDters      After 

torn  of  insn  rll  r    T-''"'^  "P.Moses.  After  Moses  the  patriarchal  sys- 
esrabbsK  "^^  """"'"'"^  '''''  '^'i^^  ^"  ^^''  fuller  system  then 

St.  Jolin  says,  "the  light  shineth  in  the  darkness."  (1  :,->).  It  was 
to  slnnin-  in  tlie  darkness  of  the  heathen  world,  but  the  heat  en 
tlien,  as  atore    comprehended  it  not,  for  their  foolish  heartswere 

come,  that  is  it  shone  on  m  spite  of  the  darkness.  And  so  it  did 
fin  "?ro^^?'r''T'-     ^^^''  '''''  li^'i^t-Christ-in  all  the  dispensa' 

1  viM  r  in  '^^^^•^•^•^•^•ve  -onerations,  but  they  knew  it  not,  for  the 
do  il  b  inded  them  and  led  them  to  ascribe   it  to  nature,  the  fixed 

1  uouoh  Moses  and  the  prophets,  but  there  were  lesser  rays  shinin- 
through  a  1  the  mental  and  moral  spheres  of  mankind,  from  that  rev': 
eat  on  which  the  Creator  made  of  Himself  to  Adam  and  all  the 
patuarcJis  on  down  to  the  time  of  Moses. 

The  Jews  held  t^enaciously  to  tlie  doctrine  of  the  inspiration  of  the 
n^H  "'''•,  ^J^^^J^^'f,'^"'-^iJ'-odid;  our  Savior  taught  it;  and  the 
Christians  have  held  all  along  to  the  plenary  inspiration  of  the  New 
lestament  as  well  as  of  the  Old. 

There  are  many  evidences  of  the  Divine  inspiration  of  Moses,  or 
itiat  (rod  commanded  him  to  do  and  teach  what  he  did  I  do  not 
propose,  however,  to  mention  them  all.  As  a  legislator  he  has  never 
been  equaled,  except  by  the  One  law  giver.  (James  4:12).  Nor  h/is 
le  ever  been  equaled  as  a  statesman;  nor  has  the  government  he 
loun<led  ever  been  excelled. 

As  on  his  way  immediately  to  the  land  of  promise  he  tarries  at 
^mai  a  long  while  to  prepare  the  people  for  nationality.  Here  the 
Hebrew  nation  was  founded.  It  was  a  united  states  of  twelve  com- 
monwealths, or  twelve  local  governments  under  one  general  govern- 
ment. Each  local  government  was  patriarchal,  while,  too,  tlie -eneral 
government  was  administered  by  a  patriarch  chosen  of  (fcxL^lis  was 
Moses. 

\yithin  this  civil  government  was  a  religious  government,  havin- 
its  head  in  the  high  priest  "called  of  (rod  as  was  Aaron,*'  but  extend" 
ing  through  all  the  tribes,  so  every  person  was  in  as  easy  reach  of  its 
benefits  as  of  the  civil  government;  and  his  splendid  legislation  reg- 
ulated first  of  all  religious  matters,  (.Afatt.  (i  :J58),  embodying  \n 
that  well  regulated  system  all  that  had  been  revealed  and  taught^and 
prax'ticed  from  (Creation,  adding  much  more. 

Everything  appertainin-  to  the  goverment  of  each  tribe,  with  its 
military  system,  was  regulated  before  leaving  the  sacred  mount,  and 
the  people  drilled  for  their  military,  civil  and  religious  services— in 
all  matters  while  there.  Their  marches  and  campings  from  there  all 
the  way  to  Canaan   were  after  the    most   perfect   military  system — 


]2S. 


THE  STORY  OF  CKEATION. 


Nvliicli  it  was.  The  consiis  of  each  tril)0  liad  boen  tak»^n  at  Mount. 
Sinai,  and  all  mon  within  the  pivscnhcd  liniits  for  militia  duty  were 
enrolled  and  ofRecM-cd  perfectly  for  s(n-viee— when  needed  lor  defence. 
If  that  s[)lendi(l  t«])ernacle  was  n  type  of  the  universe  wIkmi  the 
tri])es  were  encamped  around  it  with  their  standards,  (Xuni.  2  ch.), 
the  fi«^ure  was  mow  complete.  They  cauirht  I  lie  idea  and  named,  it 
is  said,  the  twelve  si^ns  of  ilie  zodiac  after  their  twelve  tril)es.  It 
was  only  local,  however,  as  they  were  never  adopted  by  tlie  inspired 
writers.     (AmosorS). 

The  sanitary  rei^ndations  of  their  armies  were  the  best  ever  adopted. 
No  more  sickness  was  ever  found  in  any — not  ev(Mi  in  t  heir  longest  cam- 
paii^ns — than  would  have  occurred  if  they  had  all  been  at  their 
hoiues.  The  main  poiid  in  it  all  was  t\w  fact  that  every  soldier  was 
required  l)y  law  to  l)ens  nice  as  a  cut.  (Deut.  2:M2-]4).  If  all  modern 
armies  were  to  adopt  that  rule,  no  doubt  but  much  sickness  would 
be  prevented.  It  is  stranj^e  if  Moses  was  not  inspired  of  (rod  to  do 
and  teach  what  lie  did,  that  the  worhl  has  never  yet  become  so  wise 
fts  he  was  then.  He  was  cominandcMl  to  teach  wiiat  he  tauu:iit  and  do 
what  he  did ;   it  is  clear. 

The  onler  of  t  he  priesthood  was  a  very  wise  piece  of  stat  esmanship, 
for  the  i:ood  of  all.  Xo  man  was  to  enter  it  hut  those  that  were 
trhosen  of  (rod.  and  prei)ared  by  nature  or  i)rovidenee  for  the  place. 
He  had,  also,  to  be  trained  in  learninji:  and  practical  e.Kperietice 
before  he  entered  intt)  that  hiu:h  and  sacred  olfice ;  had  to  liave  the 
elTiciency  of  thirty  years  of  au:(\  then  holy  <*onse;'ration  to  his  work. 
Received  a  comi:)et('nt  supp  »rl  ;  was  retired  at  the  jiL^e  of  fifty  years; 
but  receiv<\l  the  same  full  supp  )rt  as  loiii^  as  he  lived  a^r;.\vi!>le  to 
his  holy  callini;,  which  ix^^vi"  the  priestiiood  a  tine  opporl  unity  for 
si!chf>larshi)i  all  their  life  time ;  which  was  a  i^reat  means  of  promot- 
ing; and  sustaining:  huirnitiLj  t hrouLcliout  the  wli')le  nation.  This  cer- 
tairdy  was  of  (lod. 

Moses  was  limiteil  to  Ki:ypt  for  the  lirsl  forly  years  of  his  life,  the 
next  to  Midian,  and  the  last  to  Israel  in  the  wilderness;  now,  of 
course,  his  opportunities  for  studyinir  natural  history  were  necessa- 
rily quite  limited.  Then  it  must  htive  In^i^n  the  Divine  knowledi^e  of 
this  branch  of  learnin-jf  in  all  th.')se  particular  fiMtures  and  hal>its  of 
animals  ;i?id  fowls  allowed  by  law  to  be  eaten  or  rejected  as  those 
features  ynd  habits  prevailed  in  them,  which  ejuibled  the  pious  to 
choose  between  (d(nui  and  unclean.  (Lev.  1  lib  chap.)  ->[oses  had  not 
luid  this  knowledi^c^  of  beasts,  birds  and  fishes  of  himself,  it  wasof  the 
Lord.  Let  atiy  man  read  that  chanter  and  use  his  thou^dits  and  he 
will  see  there  is  not  a  m;in  on  earth,  nor  evm*  was,  that  of  himself 
would  conceive  of  such  a  law  as  that.  Yet  it  is  a  very  wise  law;  it 
was  to  teach  them  and  to  we:in  them  fron*.  all  forms  of  idolatry  and 
other  sins  and  to  be  holy  in  their  lives. 

Then  ai^ain,  Moses  of  himself,  nor  any  other  man,  could  have — 
without  a  war — delivered  Israel  fr.)m  the  Ki;-yptians  at  that  time. 
Neither  did  he  excite  them  by  ora-tory  to  follow  him.  It  was  plainlv 
seen  ])oth  by  the  Hebrews  and  the  E^^yptians  that  it  was  the  power 
of  God,  as  all  admitto(L  No  man  could  have  provided  for  the  multi- 
tude in  that  wilderness  for  forty  year*  without    producing'  crops  or 


I 


/s 


/  I  k 


0 


i    m      A 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION 


129. 


having  commerce  with  other  people.  Yet  it  is  an  undisputed  fa(d 
that  it  was  done.  Clothed  and  shod  without  commerce  or  home  man- 
ufactures, and  fed  without  aixriculture  or  indij:jenous  nature,  but  on 
])read  provided  in  the  atmosphere  every  ni^ht  and  birds  from  nature's 
wild  and  vast  store  as  the  peojde  had  nee<l. 

No  man,  not  even  ]\Ioses,  could  have  ludd  that  people  toj^ether  as 
they  were  for  forty  years  in  the  desert.  They,  or  any  other  people, 
if  the  Lord  had  tiot  been  amonj^-  tliem,  under  tlie  circumstances, 
woidd  have  broken  ra?d<;s  and  joined  or  have  «,^one  to  other  people 
near  them,  <j:ot  homes  and  settled  down  to  business. 

No  power  but  the  Divine  coidd  have  dom^  it.  And  it  was  a  j]creat 
strain,  so  to  speak,  upon  the  Divine  patience  to  do  it,  as  the  history 
shows.  Nor  could  Divine  love,  mercy  and  j^oodness  have  succeeded 
in  it,  but  for  the  enforcement  of  the  penalties  of  broken  laws  aj^ainst 
those  who  attempted  rebelion. 

A^'ain  and  au'ain  they  threatened  revolution,  but  could  not  get  away 
from  that  miraculous  power  that  delivered  and  sustained  them  anil 
held  them  too-ether.  They  were  supported  by  it,  defeiided  by  ir, 
kept  by  it;  nor  could  they  escape  from  it,  it  \vas  to  follow  or  die  in 
the  wilderness.  There  was  no  alternative,  and  the  power  and  pur- 
pose ilikOf  (Tod  seen  in  it  all. 

Nor  ean*llie  history  be  truly  written  without  the  Divine  that  runs 
all  throu<?h  it,  and  as  history^  it  is  admitted  outside  the  Bible  by  all 
who  have  written  on  those  times;  and  it  all  occurred  so  close  to  what 
are  called  historic  times  that  the  facts  are  within  easy  reach  of  all 
students  of  history. 

The  facts  of  the  famous  Exodus  are  woven  into  all  the  national 
histories  of  those  tinu'S,  and  they  are  found  in  all  the  sacred  histories 
of  the  Hebrews — furnish  «<rounds  for  some  of  their  sublimest  Psalms, 
and  prophetic  promises  and  warnings,  and  are  of  fre(iuent  mention  in 
the  New  Testament. 

Even  if  it  were  a  fact  that  much  of  the  first  five  books  were  writ- 
ten by  the  learned  priests,'  rather  than  by  Moses  himself,  the  truth 
of  its  inspiration,  its  revelation  from  Ood,  cannot  be  disproved. 

If  the  book  of  Joshua  should  have  been  arraiiged  in  the  same  way, 
it  is  just  as  true  a  history,  and  as  truly  inspired  as  if  Joshua  had 
Avritten  it  himself.  So  it  would  be  in  case  of  the  book  of  Judges  and 
all  the  historical  books.  So,  too,  in  regard  to  the  poetical  and  the 
prophetic.  The  truth  of  history  in  them  is  established,  and  their 
inspiration  also.  Their  prophecies  declared  and  fulfilled  show  that 
they  were  inspired ;  so  do  the  miracles  wrought  by  them  u  ^^  d^  the 
Divine  threats  made  by  them  wherever  fulfilled,  unless  repentance 
held  up  the  strike.  And  every  promise  when  fulfilled  in  the  pres- 
ent time,  or  near  or  distant  future,  proves  its  own  inspiration  from 

God.  111. 

The  Jews  all  along  down  through  the  ages  never  doubted  the  inspi- 
ration of  Moses.  None  of  the  good  nor  the  bad  ever  called  it  in 
question.  The  evangelist  represents  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  as 
saving,  "we  know  that  God  spake  unto  Moses."  (John  9:29).  They 
had  access  to  all  the  records  on  the  subject  from  the  very  hrst  and 
were  prepared  to  judge  of   tlie  claims  for  his  inspiration;    and  with 


l;]u. 


THE  STORY  OF  OREATIOX 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


1,^1. 


I 


nnial  tenm-itv  (lid  tlicy  lioM  to  tlioinspiration  of  tho  prophots  (Jo  in 
;>  •;J<Mr),  i.uko  1()  :2\)-n\).  And  so  do  thoy  unto  tins  day.  As  do  t  lie 
cniristians  of  .I(^w  aruKlontiie  race  beiiovo  in  l)oth  Testamonts  toilay. 


(MIAinF.K   XXI  IF. 

As  far  back  as  our  inionnatloii  -oes,  outside  of  tho  Bible,  we  find 
mankind  believinu"  in  inspiraiion  from  supernatural  sources.  Hence, 
tlie  lieaihens  had'their  oracles,  iuu^i-:i  and  war  <,a)ds,  and  a  ^'od  lor 
ovorythinj^-.  Poetry,  oratory,  music,  paint in<;-  and  every  art  was  niaoe 
dependent  Uj)on  inspiration. 

There  was  no  doubt  true  ins|Mra1  ion  in  the  line  of  the  .irreaf  and 
lioly  patriarchs  from  A<hin!  on  down  to  .Moses.  And  all  the  trdies  of 
uK-n  before  1  lie  diiys  of  Moses  held  to  tliis  univ<u-sal  i<h)a  in  the 
human  heart  Jind  mind. 

From  the  days  of  Moses  it  \v.-;s  jjerfectly  estaldished  before  the 
eyes  of  all  the  israeiites,  and  never  (luc^stioned  amonj^'  them. 

'  I  understtuid  inspiration  to  mean  in  tiie  liible  that  the  Holy  Spirit. 
of  (Jod  had  hohl  of  the  composer's  miiid  and  si)irit,  so  he  eouM  not 
rest  if  he  did  not  put  it  down  in  that  way.  He  knew  that  it  wo\dd 
.^^'ieve  the  Spirit  for  liim  to  slate  it  otherwise;  that  it  would  i)e  a  sin 
to  write  it  contrary  to  that. 

In  1  ('Or.  7:2.")  St.  Paul  says,  "Xow  concerninu'  virgins  I  have  no 
commandment  of  the  J.ord.'*'  ''Yet  1  i^ive  my  jud^-ment  as  one  that 
hatli  obtained  mercy  of  the  I.ord  to  be  failh.ful.''  His  jud^^ment  was 
of  jjfreat  wei;r!d  in  that,  but  hi'  did  not  i^^ive  it  as  inspiration.  He 
was  cautious  on  that. 

Tile  inference  is  that  in  all  his  other  epistles,  and  in  all  the  rest  of 
this,  he  was  commanded  of  the  Lord  to  writ(^  all  that  he  did  write. 
That  is  the  same  authority  that  Tuoses  and  the  projijiets  had. 

AMu  11  St.  .lohn  wrote  the  .Vi)ocalypse  he. says  he  was  commanded 
of  (-iirist  to  write  all  that  he  did  writ(\  and  tliat  some  thinj^'s  were 
seen  and  heard  of  hitn  that  he  was  for!)id(ten  to  write.  l>oth  Daniel 
and  Paul  were  commanded,  like  .b)hn,  not  to  write  or  tell  all  tliey 
saw  and  heard.     Imj^ostors  always  ttdl  more  thaiij^ee  or  hoar. 

Xeither  did  our  Savior  tell  all  to  the  apostles;  because  they  could 
not  bear  it  at  that  time,  (.lolm  i():P2.)  And  no  doubt  but  every  one 
that  is  called  of  Christ  as  one  of  His  workers,  has  s.ome  experiences 
with  the  .Master  that  are  so  precious  he  keeps  tliem  to  hijuself.  For 
he  fears,  perhaps,  oth«M*s  would  doubt  them. 

•  St.  Peter  teaches  that  the  holy  proplu'ts  of  old  spake,  beinj^  moved 
by  the  Holy  (rhost.  (2  Pet.  1  :21).  They  knew  wlicn  tiiat  movement 
was  upon  them,  and  under  it  they  sp:ike  as  (-hrist  commanded  the 
apostles  to  do  under  similar  circumstances,  more  than  had  been 
^'ivon  them  before,  but  the  testimony  of  tlie  prophets  from  Moses  on 
down,  is  that  they  wrote  oidy  what  they  knew  the  Lord  had  com- 
manded them  to  write.  Xor  does  St.  Peter  say  anything'  to  the  con- 
trary. Tlie  personal  statements  of  the  prophots,  toj^ether  with  Moses, 
are  that  they  wrot(>  by  commandment  from  the  Iy»rd.   So  all  of  those 


).   ^ 


i 


r 


scriptures  are  revelations  direct    from  (Jod — verbally  given — written 
bv  iinperative  command. 

'  St.  Peter  ranks  all  of  St.  Paul's  epistles  with  the  other  Scriptures. 
(2  Pet.  8:10).  And  St.  Paul  says  all  Scrijiture  is  <]jiven  by  inspira- 
tion of  (rod,  (2  Tim.  J5:l());  t^^^^'^  51*  i^  '^  »i<^^  =^<»  j4-iven,  it  is  not  Scrip- 
ture. Put  he  does  not  state  in  tliis  tliat  Moses  and  the  prophets, 
like  himself,  were  not  comman(U'd;  for  he  knew  that  their  testimony 
v^as  t  hat  tliey  were  commanded  o'f  (rod  to  write  what  they  wrote. 
The  apostles'and  evanj>-elists,  like  the  prophets,  k!iew  Ood;  and  they 
all,  slso,  knew  the  voice  of  Ood.  (1  Sam.  8:1-1(0.  ^^'^^^"^X  references 
miu'lit  be  ^nven  where  they  were  achlressed  of  the  Lord.  2  Kin<j:s 
4:27  shows" how  near  the  l^ord  was  to  them.  They  were  too  familiar 
with  the  voice  of  the  Lord  to  l)e  mistaken;  they  knew  it  was  the 
Lord  that  spake  to  them.  Hence  they  had  a  thus  saith  the  Lord. 
It  was  not  false,  but  true.  It  was  often  put  to  an  immediate  test  by 
the  people  and  their  rulers;   if  found  to  be  false  prophets  they  were 

pu!iished. 

Our  Savior  always  recoj^-nized  the  law  and  the  prophets  as  the 
Scriptures,  (Matt. '5:17-19).  In  His  references  and  cpiotations  He 
considered  it  all  as  tiie  Word  of  Oo(L  He  upbraided  those  who  were 
slow  of  lieart  to  believe  all  the  propliets  wrote.  (Luke  2 A  :2»)-27).  It 
is  His  will  and  good  pleasure  then,  that  we  belive  all  that  Moses  and 
the  prophets  have  writteii.  ' 

Asa  matter  of  course,  historical  facts  are  not  revelations,  iiut 
the  historical  books  of  Scripture  are  inspired  in  this  way:  As  the 
four  (rospels  were  written  from  personal  knowledge  ;  yet  (^irist  prom- 
ised them  the  Spirit  to  bring  all  things  to  their  remembrance  what- 
ever He  had  said  unto  them  ;  which  He  did  in  their  personal  teach- 
ing, iM-eaching  and  writing.  And  it  was  His  real  guidance  that 
crystalized  th.em  in  all  their  superb  beauty  and  lasting  u.sefulness  as 
unto  this  dav.  l!i  this  inspiration  lias  a  (Pilferent  office  to  hll  fronr 
that  in  revelation,  and  humanly  speaking  more  difficult.  For  in  the 
first  slie  has  onlv  to  write  down  what  has  lieen  given,  as  given;  but 
in  the  second  she  has  to  arrange  the  matter  and  the  expression  ot 
'every  fact  so  as 'to  have  the  best  elTect.  ,    ..,  ., 

To  the  apostles  and  evangelists  the  promise  of  the  Spirits  guid- 
ance was  remarkablv  fulfilled,  in  the  fact  that  after  thirty  or  lorty 
years  had  passed,  thoy  could  repeat  verbatim  all  tliat  is  written  in 
the  four  gospels  and  more,  but  the  Spirit  so  controlled  the  work  tliat 
they  did  not  write  all  that  Jesus  did  or  said.  (John  21:2,)).  And 
alto-other,  they  constitute  the  most  unique  life  that  was  ever  writ- 
ten ;"  the  most 'wonderful,  most  powerful,  most  useful  most  comfort^ 
ingand  the  most  lasting.  The  Holy  Spirit  evident  y  .^"'f /j  )  ^^ 
writers  in  arranging  the  facts,  and  incidents,  and  teachings  oM d mst 
as  they  have  remained  unto  this  day.  If  any  imm  thinks  ^^^y  ^^^'^  ^ 
liave  been  better  arranged,  let  him  think  again  no  ^^^^^'.^^T^^^^^^^^^^ 
had  half  so  good  efloct  upon  human  hearts  anc  hves  as  ^l^ry  ha  eJiad 
and  that,  asNhey  are.  No  human  genius  could  have  "^ ado  them  so 
good,  so  useful  as  thoy  have  boon,  yet  are,  and  shall  bo  on  and  on 

unto  the  end  of  the  world.  mi  j  Tn^fnmpnt    It 

.Just  so  with  n^gard  to  the  historical  part  of  the  OM  lestament.   It 


182. 


THE  STOKY  OF  CREATION. 


is  inspired  in  the  same  way  as  was  tlie  historical  part  of  the  New 
Testament.  Tlie  work  in  neither  eonld  not  have  been  done  so  as  to 
have  had  better  effect. 

David  and  the  other  Fsahnists  were  in  His  liand  when  they  did 
their  happy,  holy  work  wliich  has  come  down  to  us  in  His  perfect 
Book.  Just" so  with  the  writers  of  tlie  Proverbs,  Ecclesiastes  and  Job. 

Compare  the  inspired  l)ooks  of  the  Old  Testament  with  the  apocry- 
phal ;  and  the  books  of  the  New  Testament  with  the  writin.ijjs  of  the 
apostolic  fathers  and  the  style  of  expression,  and  ranjjre,  and  charac- 
ter, of  thoii^^dit,  is  far  superior  in  the  canonical  to  the  others,  and 
they  hold  tlie  superiority  in  comparison  with  the  very  best  of  all 
modern  Jiooks. 

I  have  sometimes  seen  in  a  real  j^ood  article  in  a  leadinj^  newspaper 
a  very  jjem  sparklinj^-  in  its  surroundin^^s,  and  have  thou«rlit,  I've 
seen  that  before;  wiiy.  it  is  taken  from  the  Bible,  it  is  the  very  lan- 
irua<re  of  the  Bible.  But  it  is  the  more  strlkin<:  here  because  it  is  in 
less  brilliant  surroundin.i^s  than  in  the  Bibb'. 

We  learn  to  appreciate  thin<rs  by  com[)arison.  One  may  think 
that  some  thlnj<  is  very  pretty,  but  if  it  is  compared  with  others  of 
its  kind  its  real  beauty  is  more  clearly  seen.  A  man  don't  know  how 
pretty  his  wife  is  until  he  compares  her  with  other  women.  Hence 
it  will  pay  him  well  to  carry  lier  out  where  there  are  other  ladies — 
especially  to  church. 

\\'luMi  I  wa-;  a  youth  mv  teacher,  who  was  a  musician  as  well  as  a 
scholar,  .said  Old  Ifundred  was  a  i^rand  piece  of  music,  but  I  had  not 
becoiae  capalile  of  discernin«>'  its  merits.  Just  so,  in  order  to  appre- 
ciate the  merits  of  tlie  Bible,  we  have  to  accpiire  the  capacity. 

Only  a  few  days  a^o  I  was  readinj^^  some  pieces  from  some  of  the 
best  of  our  present  writers,  and  they  quoted  some  passa<i'es  of  Scrip- 
ture which  sparkled  like  <i:ems  in  their  compositions  because  they 
were  so  far  superior,  in  thought  and  expression,  to  all  the  rest  of 
thei^  composition. 

In  reading-  the  Bibk^  itself,  those  verses  would  not  appear  so  bril- 
liant, because  they  have  to  hav<'  the  ]iackL::round  of  tlie  uninspired  to 
brinj^  out  their  sujieriority  moi'e  strikinj^ly. 

I  have  often  noticed  that  the  lawyers  and  politicians  love  to  quote 
Scripture;  and  they  make  their  best  points,  too,  when  they  do. 

]\Iany  i^ood  compositions  are  ornamented  by  Bibh^  thouj^jhts  and 
quotations  fro!ii  it.  The  best  thoughts  in  all  our  literature,  and  of 
spoken  lan*<ua<re,  too,  are  taken  from  the  Bible. 

Nor  do  I  object  to  it,  either.  St.  Paul  said,  "he  rejoiced  that 
Christ  was  made  known"  althoui'h  it  was  indirectly  and  unintention- 
ally.  (Phil.  1:18).  And  I  am  ji^lad  that  all  ('hristian  nations  have 
jjreatly  enriched  their  literature  with  Bible  ideas  and  cpiotations  from 
it.  And  further,  it  furnishes  the  foundation  for  all  their  penal  laws. 
As  a  justice  said  when  he  was  converted,  in  life's  prime,  "I  am  sur- 
prised at  myself;  I've  been  ne«?lectin«^  the  best  of  books  all  my  life; 
why  the  Bible  is  the  foundation  of  all  our  laws."  I  am  thankful  that 
its  sentiments  are  inwrou<,dit  in  the  constitutions  and  laws,  politics 
and  social  life  of  all  Christendom  today. 

After  Christ  ascended  the  apostles   never  attempted  to  perform  a 


k 


A 


i 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


]m. 


miracle  without  bein^-  conscious  that  the  Spirit  had  already  j^iven 
them  an  inward  commandment  to  do  it  ;  and  saw,  too,  that  the  sub- 
ject had  faitli  to  receive  it.  (Acts.  UrO-lO).  That  kind  and  dejjjree  of 
faith,  in  both  the  doer  and  receiver,  is  purely  a  i,'ift  of  (Jod.  (1  Cor. 
I2:S-i)).      (liven  for  a  pur]:)Ose. 

So  inspiralion  for  the  ])oelical  and  historical  wrilinj^s  of  the  Bible 
was  such  a  conscious  movement  of  the  Holy  Spirit  that  it  made  itself 
know!i  to  the  one  who  received  it,  so  that  he  knew  beyond  a  doubt 
that  be  was  inwardly  commanded  by  the  Spirit  to  write  what  he  did 
write.  And  while  tlie  holy  and  blessed  ailtatus  ol'  the  Spirit  of  Christ 
(1  Pel .  1 :11)  was  oji  Wu^m]  it  opened  to  them  the  depths  of  truth  not 
seen  liefore,  ((-ol.  1  :2r)-27),  and  enabled  them  to  arrani^^e  and  to  express 
it  in  that  way  that  would  save  the  ji:reate.st  number  of  souls. 

Some,  however,  may  think  it  could  have  been  l)etter  arranged  and 
better  expressed,  but  they  are  mistaken.  If  it  had  been,  both  in 
arran«^ement  and  expression,  as  they  would  su,n-]fest,  it  would  no  more 
please  the  objectors  than  as  it  is.  For  in  every  land  where  the  (Jos- 
l)el  is  preached  there  are  those  who  believe  anc^  are  saved  l)y  it,  and 
there  are  those  who  n^sist  it  and  perish  in  their  j^ainsayin^rs.  ("2  ('or. 
2:14-17).  So  it  was  of  old,  so  it  is  now,  and  no  doubt  will  be  unto 
the  end-  By  their  own  aclions  they  make  their  damnation  <.»Teater: 
for  they  add  to  all  their  other  sins  this  of  rejecting,'  the  l.ord.  (1  Sam. 
S:7,    I2:P)  and  Luke  P):I4). 

While  in  this  second  sense  the  sacred  writers  (daim  inspiration  for 
all  the  Scriptures;  yet,  as  in  the  first,  they  claim  a  direct  revelation, 
that  is. verbally  expressed,  which  they  were  commanded  of  the  Lord 
to  write;  as  when  Jehovah  pronounced  His  law  to  Adam  and  to 
Israel.  And  many,  many  other  times  He  spake  directly  to  His 
chosen  ones,  not  only  in  dreams  and  visions,  but  when  they  were 
wide  awake.  As  St.  Paul  ^ays,  "Now  the  Spirit  speaketh  expressly," 
And  he  <'ives  the  utterance  of  the  Si)lrit.  (1  Tim.  4:1-8).  As  did  St. 
John  heard  the  words,  (Rev.  10:1),  but  was  forbidden  to  write  them. 

St.  Paul  there  delivered  a  i)rophecy  that  has  since  come  to  pass, 
and  is  bein^r  fulfilled  today.  Much  of  the  Scriptures  were  <(iven  in 
this  express  manner.  As,  "(rod  spake  unto  I\roses,  saym.i,'"  and 
throu-h  Moses  to  Ij^rael.  And  unto  the  prophets,  and  throu-:h  them 
to  the^rulers  and  people  of  Israel,  with  "thus  saitli  the  Lord."  And 
by  His  Son,  (Ileb.  1 :1  and  John  11:21);  and  by  His  Spirit,  (Acts  2S: 
2r)and8:29);  andby  an^rols.to  the  patriarchs  and  judges  of  Israel. 
And  often  the  Lord  spake  unto  them  Himself.  And  the  facts  show 
thatthev  were  not  mistaken,  history  defends  the  trutli  of  their 
prophecies,  and  will  defend  that  \n  its  fulfilhnent  which  is  yet  to  be 
unveiled  to  com  in-  fenerations.    And  (rod  and  His  trutli  wdl  ever  be 

"^'^Many  of  their  threatening  jud-ments  have  been  fuHilled  in  fearful 
certain'ty;  and  those  that  have  not,  doubtless,  shall  be  in  a  more  dis- 
tant future.  While  many  of  tlieir  cheerin-  promises  have  been  most 
liappily  fulfilled;  and  those  that  have  not  most  assuredly  shall  be  in 

the  eyes  of  all.  ,    .       i     i        •        ^k« 

If  the  so-called   Hi-lier  (h-itics  could  succeed  m  destroying  the 

Bibl(^  and  for  a  pretext,  all  ancient   literature  also,  they  would  be 


IJU. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


out  of  a  job;  Ihoir  craft  would  bo  at  an  end.  „  .  ,  _  f,.,.;ncr 
And  if  those  pliilosoplun-s  and  scientists,  so-called,  who  are  ti>  m? 
to  undo  human  conscience  from  the  Scriptures,  could  accomplisli 
their  undertaking,  their  work  would  be  ended;  they  wcmld  have 
not h in*;  more  to  do. 

If  any  man  thinks  science  and  philosophy  will  flourish  without  the 
Bible,  he  is  mistaken,  if  any  set  of  men  tliink  that  common  educa- 
tion shall  live  without  tlie  Bible,  they  are  mistaken.  It  they  think: 
civilization  will  stand  without  tlie  Bible,  they  are  mistaken. 

(iod  in  Ohrist  Jesus  is  the  lij,dit  of  the  world,  and  He  shines  witii  a 
steady  ray  throu^di  His  \>'ord.  Take  that  away  and  none  of  these 
lesser  li^dits  will  shine;  it  would  be  like  blottin.ic  out  the  sun.  Any 
fair  minded  man  who  will  study  the  history  of  all  these  things  can 
see  that  they  cannot,  ami  will  not,  live  without  the  Bible. 

Sometimes  if  one  should  hear  an  infidel  lecture— Nvhich  is  not  a 
proper  thing  to  be  encouraged  in  any  way-he  might  think  he  wants  to 
destroy  (Christianity.  But  far  from  it,  for  that  would  kill  his  own 
business. 

All  the  notoriety  that  intidelity  ever  got  came  from  Christianity. 
She  furnished  the  occasion  for  tlie  birth  an<l  trade  of  infidelity.  The 
inhdel  knows  ho  crin't  kill  her;  hence  he  keeps  on  milking  the  cow, 
for  he  wants  to  get  all  out  of  her  he  can  for  himself. 

Intidelity  is  only  a  parasite  that  feeds  upon  (Christianity.  A  fable 
says,  ''A  gnat  apologized  to  an  ox  for  riding  on  his  horn.  The  ox 
said,  I  did  not  feel  your  weight  when  you  got  on,  and  shall  not  miss 
you  when  are  gone." 

So  C/hristianity  has  ever  carried  infidelity.  And  on  she  will  go, 
just  the  same,  when  infidelity  is  satisfied  to  dismount  and  leave  her. 
Trulv  she 


might  say 


E'er  since  time  ])egun, 

AFoon,  stars  and  sun. 

Have  their  api)ointed  courses  run. 

1,  loo,  having  a  mission  to  till. 

Have  no  time  to  turn  aside 

For  a  critic  to  uiount  and  ride. 

Truth  stands  on  her  own  merits.  And  it  is  a  singular  fact  that 
only  comparatively  few  of  the  great  books  of  anti(piity  are  now  liv- 
ing; yet  even  the  shortest  writer  in  tJie  Bible  has  thereby  obtained 
what  in  history  and  literature  is  called  immortality.  And  that  upon 
a  very  wide  scale.  So  true  is  it  that  the  Lord  rewards  his  servants; 
as  He  promises,  openly  and  lastingly,  too. 

Nature  has  luM'self  some  preservcnl. 
While  love  and  art  others  enbalmed. 
But  these  embeddcHl  are, 
,  In  the  living  Word  of  the  living  (fod  ; 

More  durable  than  art  or  luiture  far. 
For  pass  away,  shall  those  some  day. 
But  th(\<e  iji  His  Word   never,  nav. 


I 


/,  i 


i 


r 


i 


\ 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


V^'^. 


So  far  as  geologists  are  c()])cerned  they  may  be  innocent — (Iod  is 
the  Judge  of  all— but  they  make  numy  mistakes.  They  have  admit- 
ted some,  corrected  somi^;  will  have  to  admit  more  and  correct  more. 
As  a  science  it  is  only  in  a  formative  state;  they  have  not  got  it 
down  right  yet.  The  whole  system  will  have  to  be  readjusted.  It 
will  have  to  stand  on  facts;  and  will  have  to  have  the  ability  to  read 
the  facts  in  nature,  according  to  nature.     Science  is  knowledge.^ 

But  many  things  called  scientific  are  very  changeable.  Which 
shows  tliat  men  of  science  do  not  know  all  they  are  supposed  to  know. 
For  instance,  scientific  physicians  used  to  forbid  their  patients  in 
cases  of  fever  to  drink  water;  now  they  recommend  it.  Used  to  for- 
bid their  patients  eating  fruit ;  now  they  advise  it.  Used  to  forbid 
their  patients  to  drink  coffee;  now  prescribe  it  as  a  remedy  against 
fever.     Of  course  they  were  mistaken  either  first  or  last. 

So  it  has  been  withgeology  from  the,  first.  She  does  not  know 
what  she  claims  to  know.  The  statements  of  geologists  as  to  their 
so-called  rational  history  of  the  earth,  and  its  ages,  do  not  come 
within  the  range  of  man's  capacity  to  know,  therefore,  that  part  of 
geology  is  no  science  at  all.  They  will  have  to  prove  their  statements 
—which  cannot  bo  done — or  withdraw  them. 

The  time  they  suppose  man  first  existed  is  at  the  breaking  ud  of 
the  glacial  period ;  while  the  earth  was  soft  and  all  the  ice  not  yet 
gone.  Remains  of  our  domestic  ani nulls  and  of  mankind  were  found, 
and  striated  strata  where  the  water  had  forced  great  bodies  of  ice 
over  it,  all  of  which,  as  we  have  before  shown,  is  what  might  be 
expected  to  follow  such  a  deluge  as  the  Scriptures  describe  in  the 
days  of  Noah.     I  believe  the  geological  age  of  man  began   from  the 

time  of  that  Hood.  , 

Theso  learned  men,  if  they  are  truly  wis(^  and  have  any  true  guide 
in  their  invest ig.ation,  will  learn  by  and  by,  when  they  become  suffi- 
ciently wi<e  to  make  a  correct  classification  of  what  they  call  ages, 
since(h'eation— back  of  that  they  cannot  go;  there  is  nothing  to 
stand  on— that  their  conclusions  are  incorrect.  And,  if  fair,  will  cor- 
rect the  mistakes  thev  have  made.  No  man  is  prepared,  without  a 
knowled<'e  of  the  Bible,  to  make  out  a  true  verdict  upon  the  sijbject 
under  consideration.  Neither  is  any  properly  i)repared  to  teach  the 
natural  sciences  without  a  knowledge  of  the  Bible. 

I  believe  the  Bible  is  the  ultimate  on  the  subject  that  they  will  ail 
come  to  when  the  investigation  is  complete.  For  the  Bible  and 
nature  are  from  the  same  Author  and  cannot  (fon  trad  let  each  other 
Whenever  they  really  understand  nature  then  they  wil  »;^^;»7~ 
with  the  Bible.  From  the  first  of  geological  writing  all  of  it  that  has 
appeared  to  contradict  the  Scriptures,  is  nothing  but  supposition 
and  has  been  all  along,  as  far  from  the  true  course  of  nature  as  it 
was  from  the  Bible. 

The  Bible  is  the  one  ])ook  we  all  shall  be  judged,  by  at   last.     We 
are  bound  to  no  man's  system.     But  are  answerable   for  transgress- 
in-  or  for  disobeying  His  Word,  and   for  s.nmng  against  our  o^^n 
oTisc  ence.  and  also  ?or  sinning  against  th.  light  of  nature  instinct- 


18(5. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION 


ivelv  in  us  all.  As  it  is  written,  -J)(>th  not  natuiv  tem-h  yoii.^  Oi 
shall  we  ask  for  a  revelation  whore  conimon  sense  is  a  suRicicnt 
-Hide?  Be  a  law  unto  Ihvselfin  everything- you  naturally  know  to 
be  ri<'ht  or  wron<;,  whetlier  vou  iind  it  in  the  Bible  or  not.  but  you 
will  find  it  there  if  vou  study  as  you  ouj^ht ;  for  there  is  no  duty  nor 
anv  phase  of  sin  it  does  not  throw  its  li-ht  upon.  It  is  cxeeedmo-ly 
broad  and  covers  the  wliole  of  niairs  heart  and  life  ;  his  whole  moral, 
mental  and  phvsieal  nature. 

If,  therefore!"  the  Bible,  eonseience  or  instincts  of  nature  warn  you, 
you  should  heed  that  warnin-;.  I  believe  the  Spirit  of  (^od  touches 
every  man's  nature  at  some  point  or  other.  (.John  I  :!)).  \\  hen  fol- 
lowed it  alwavs  leads  in  the  right  way.     (Ps.  119:'.)). 

To  say  that  the  strata  have,  or  that  the  earth  has  been  millions  ot 
years  in  formin^^  is  more  smart  than  wise.  There  is  nothinjx  found 
in  nature  that  autliorizes  such  statements;  and  besides,  we  all  have 
to  account  to  the  .ru(l«,'e  of  all  for  all  we  teach,  as  well  as  for  all  we 
do.  If  we  are  to  j^'ive  account  for  all  of  our  idle  words,  much  rather 
for  false  teachin«^. 

The  most  inconsistent  of  all,  it  seems,  is  a  woman  in  the  midst  of 
(Miristian  civilization  delivered  by  the  (Jospel  of  ('hrist,  though  not 
lierself,  perhaps,  a  ha|;py  Christian,  from  female  drud*i;ery  and 
cruelty  more  severe,  that  still  exists  in  heathendom,  to  speak  or 
write  anything,'  a<,'ainst  a  true  (lu-ist ianity.  May  hi<'h  Heaven  <.n-ant 
them  th(^  true  li.i,dit  to  deliver  them  from  such  an  unhappy  inconsis- 
tency, and  work  in  them  to  will  and  to  ])e  true  Christians  themselves. 

The  j^'oolo^^dsts  brin«!^  in  t  he  evolutionary  naturalists  to  help  them 
to  make  out  their  case.  But  like  .Job's  intended  comforters,  they 
are  miserable  helpers.     They,  too,  are  ji,'uilty  of  many  mistakes. 

For  a  loiiiT  while  they  held  to  the  statement  that  the  Scorpion  in 
distress  would  stini,'  himself  to  death,  to  ndieve  his  sutrerin«::s.  But 
late  experiments,  it  is  said,  have  shown  that  his  iiuid  has  no  poisonous 
elTect  upon  himself.  Here  is  a  mistake  admitted  and  corrected  by 
more  perfect  knowledj^e.  And  there  are  yet  many  others  which  more 
perfect  knowled^^e  will  correct.  There  is  nothin;it  relitible  in  conjec- 
tural philosophy  nor  in  hypothetical  scieru'c.  The  very  best  that 
can  be  .said  for  them  is  they  are  only  innocent  suppositions. 

Now  they  want  to  say  there  is  a  successive  chain  of  bein*^  from  the 
lowest  up  to  the  hi.i»:hest  forms  of  life,  with  the  obvious  purpose  of 
saying  man  is  only  an  animal — heiure  soulless.  Some  of  them  have 
^one  so  far  as  to  classify  the  human  family  with  the  apes  and  the 
monkeys,  thus  breakin*,'  over  the  well  established  rules  of  classifica- 
tion. But  they  nor  their  cause  will  <iain  nothinjij  hy  their  presump- 
tion and  vanity,  (2  Tim.  8:9). 

For  the  same  reason,  they  want  to  say  there  was  atimewlien  there 
were  no  birds  in  this  world,  and  the  reptiles  made  themselves  ])irds. 
But  if  you  ever  see  a  snake  you  will  then  know  that  these  i^^enthuuen 
kre  mistaken.  And  when  you  see  a  bird,  or  lu'ar  one  sini^:,  thank  the 
Lord  that  the  evolutionists  didn't  kill  them  all  to  ijjet  their  monkeys. 
And  they  want  to  say  there  was  a  lonj^,  lon^jj  time  when  there  were  no 
kuman  bein^js  in  the  world,  and  an  ape  nnide  himself  a  man — and  he 


\ 


I 


% 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION 


187. 


is  the  ancestor  of  the  human  race.    But  as  lon.u;  as  there  are  any  apes 
in  the  world  it  shows  they  have  not  made  out  their  case. 

It  is  evident  that  if  snakes  could  take  win<'S  and  Hy  they  would  do 
it;  for  it  is  Cod's  curse  upon  tbe  serpent  that  makes  them  crawl  and 
eat  dust.  If  any  one  of  th(>m  ever  did,  all  of  them  ccmld  and  W(mld. 
But  as  lonj^  as  it  is  the  will  of  (Jod  that  there  should  be  reptiles  and 
birds  and  iToes   in  the  world,  none  of   them  can   chanice  from  one  to 

anot  her. 

And  equally  it  appears  if  monkeys  could  l)e  men  they  would.  But 
T  believe  if  men  would  let  th<Mn  stay  in  their  own  native  haunts  they 
would  all  be  salisiiod  witli  the  way  they  are  made.  Nor  is  it  reason- 
able to  supi)oso  that  they  would  make  some  to  -o  above  and  oyer 
themselves.  I  don't  think  monkeys  would  do  that.  I  don't  think 
tliey  would  l;-o  into  it  at  all,  unless  all  could  come  out  alike. 

If  an  ape  ever  evolved  a  man  he  did  a  work  which  none,  nor  all,  ot 
liis  human  pro<,n'nv  can  do  today;  for  all  the  men  in  the  world  cant 
take  any  kind  of  an  ape  and  make  a  man  of  him— not  even  the  lo\y- 
est  Hot'tentot.  The  prou-ress  then,  is  backward,  for  all  of  "iJ^''  •-* 
improvements  can't  do  what  they  want  to  claim  a  sinu:l(>  ape  oncedu  . 
a  thin--  which  all  the  apes  to-vther  could  not  now  do.  A  thmj.'  winch 
neitlKT  nature,  nor  (U-eation,  nor  Cod  has  ever  done. 

If  i<  was  ever  done  once  it  could  bedonea^^ain  ;  and  nodoubt  would 
be  for  nature  is  ever  repeatin.i,'  herself.  All  that  are  now  in  exist- 
ene'e  came  from  parents.     So  have  all    before   them,  except  the   lirst 

vneration  of  all  livin-  thin-s,  and  they  ])y  Creation.  (U-eation  is  not 
nature's  work.  It  is  sui  o-eneris,  and  ori.i^'inated  nature  with  all  her 
laws.     Could  not,  therefore,  bo  subject  to  t!io  laws  of  luiture. 


CHAPTER  X 


XV 


Bffork  thov  succeed  thev  will  have  another  barrier  to  remove  :  the 
laws\>f  heredity.  Un.ler  these  unalterable  laws  overythin-  inherits 
Hftor  its  own  kind  or  species.  Xothin-  .irots  out  of  its  own  ^P^^cios-- 
noithor  hioher  nor  lower.  It  may  <lo^n-ado,  or  impn>vo  itsdf  but  t 
is  always  in  its  own  species.  And  if  nuMi  cross  any  of  them,  ^^hen  left 
to  themselves  they  will  invariably  <^o  back  into  their  ^^vn  spocies 

There  is  no  proof  that  one  spcvies  has  evr  made  another.  1  hey 
cannot  do  it.  Mankind  can  improve  within  their  ^>^V"/P^^^*'^^^;;;;'^ 
eannot  evolve  themselves  into  a  hiivhor  one.  Xor  can  tliey  <^o  ifito  a 
lower  species.     Bot  h  nature  and  Pnjvidence  forbid  it 

These  bounds  are  fixed  in  nature  })y  the  ("Creator.      lho>  hau  stooc 
unSeal'l  thus  far;  and  will  without  any  ^unondnlo,lts  u.^^^^^^^ 
of  time.     Evorythino- resembles  the  thm- It  came    rom.     And  more, 
it  ha<  its  essen'tial  naturo-ve-otablo,  animal  and  human 

Observers  say  heredity  in  its  mental  elTocts  have  boon    rax- edm  a 
fon.ily  descent  as  far  as  to  thv  eio-hth  feneration.     .  eilu  ps  this    s 

world."     I  presume  the  moral  tendeneies  are  more  last  in^M ban  either 
the  physical  or  mental. 


138. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


189 


rhysk'ul  defect  hus  l)eon  known  to  follow  to  tlie  tourlli,  montal  to 
the  ei-hth  feneration:  but  who  has  ever  yet  found  an  end  to  the 
monV*  What  observer  could  doul)t  innate  moral  depravity  m  the 
whole  human  family?     It  is  plainly  ^o(m  from  the  birth  of  Cain  unto 

the  present  time.  . 

I  do  not  think  the  Lord  is  less  severe  on  any  class  ot  sinners  than 
heretofore  ;  but  under  the  i^^ospel  of  a  perfected  atonement  all  sinners 
are  invited  upon  (fod's  terms  as  set  forth  in  His  Word,  to  come  unto 
Him  and  be  saved.  To  enter  the  church  of  the  first  born,  whose 
names  are  written  in  Heaven.  (Heb.  12:L>:J).  Althou-h  the  very 
chief  of  sinners  he  may  have  ])een,  yet  now,  if  born  a,«;ain,  his  name 
as  a  new  born  is  written  in  tlie  Lamb's  Book  of  Life— Salvation. 
Which  Hook  iroes  back  (juile  close  to  the  foundation  of  the  world,  so 
ns  to  endjrace.Vdam  and  Kve,  as  well  as  any  born  of  thc^m.  And 
doubtless  their  spirits,  as  A})el's,  are  in  Heaven  today. 

The  evolutionists  have  crossed  over  the  seas,  j^^one  down  into  the 
deep;  with  the  best  ^dasses  human  .ic^^nius  could  invent  have  walked 
tlirou^Ii  the  skies,  and  wiiat  have  they  found  that  contradicts  the 
Bible?  Xothinic;  absolutely  nothiniz;.  Xor  shall  they;  for  it  is  in 
none  of  these.  And  if  they  <-ould  raise  the  human  dead  and  ask 
them,  the  answer  would  be  the  same.  There  is  nothinu;  anywhere 
that  contradicts  the  Bible.  But  rather  nature  everywhere  bears  tes- 
timo!iy  to  the  truth  as  tauirht  in  the  Bible.  They  shall  not  destroy 
the  faith  of  (iod's  elect,  (^[att.  24:24).  :Men  have  tried  it  in  every 
wav  thev  could  invent  from  the  days  of  the  Son  of  ^Fan  on  earth. 

H  wcnild  be  strarii^e  if  a  man  would  risk  losin^i;  his  soul  on  such 
flimsy  evidence  as  these  writers — any  (dass  of  them — olTer  against 
truth  in  nature  and  in  the  Bible.  He  will  not  risk  his  temporal 
interest  uj)on  such  uncertainties.  And  will  he  risk  his  hi.Lj:lier — hi<^h- 
(■st — on  it?  If  so,  then,  it  shows  to  be  true  What  the  IVible  afhrms, 
he  is  wiser  in  his  temporal  than  in  his  spiritual  interest.  (Luke 
lG:<S-<)).  Or  in  his  temporary  than  in  his  permanent  interest.  After 
awhile  these  writers  will  withdraw  their  coiudusions,  and  admil  they 
were  mistaken  on  these  points.  If  they  ever  understand  nature  and 
the  Bible,  too,  and  are  fair  and  honest,  they  will  see  and  own  thafc 
thev  are  l)oth  from  «)ne  Author. 

(Teolo;i:ists  in  speakini;  of  the  period  of  time  when  man  first  occu- 
piefl  the  earth  call  it  recent.  But  the  Higher  Critics  (rail  everythinijf 
before  the  C-hristian  era  ancient — too  old  for  them.  Kverythin*]^  not 
distinctly  modern  is  olTensive  to  them  ;  while  some  astronomers  are 
j^ladly  receivitiu:  ancient  \b^h\  from  the  fixed  stars. 

The  evolutionists  write  the  devil  extinct.  T'le  ^eoloj^ists  decide  lie 
never  did  exist,  because  they  do  not  find  any  of  his  remains  preserved 
— fossilized — anywhere.  The  Hii^her  ('riticts  decapitate  Moses  and 
the  prophets,  and  to  justify  themselves  destroy  all  ancient  litera- 
ture. Surely,  if  the  Christian  pil<i:rim  had  stopj-x^l  to  listen  to  all 
these,  he  would  never  hav<'  found  his  wav  to  tlu'  Celestial  (Titv. 

It  is  stranj^^e  the  Higher  ('ritics  don't  i^et  hold  of  the  j^^eolo,L,'ists  and 
astronomers  for  belie vin<,'  iji  anti(iuity,  atid  those  wlio  are  tryinjz  to 
remodel  the  old  philosophies  of  the  heathen.  But  now  they  seem  to 
for.:et  everythin.LT  <'lse   t e.  work  on    the    Iii})Ie   ixnd   Christialiity.     As 


\ 


/U 


I 


r 


A 


> 


bots  in  a  horse's  stomach,  they   have  let  -:o  everythinj,'  else  and  gone 
to  o-nawin^-  the  mare  that  raised  and  supported  them. 

If  there  had  been  no  Christianity,  there  would  have  been  no 
Higher  (h'itics.  They  are  much  like  one  trying  to  kill  his  own 
molher,     Thev  are,  too,  working  against  their  own  best  interests. 

These  writers  try  to  eliminate  the  supernatural  out  of  C/reation 
and  nature;  like  some  others  who  try  to  eliminate  the  miraculous 
out  of  Christianity.  The  one  prefer  to  have  a  world  without  any- 
thin-  supernatural  in  it  ;  the  other  a  Christianity  without  anything 
miraculous  in  it.     They  fail  alike  to  agree  with  nature  and  the  Bil)le. 

All  nature  was  produced  at  first  by  supernatural  ])ower.  bo  was 
Christianity.  Since,  nature  has  had  an  ever  present  sui)ernatural 
administration.  So  has  Christianity.  The  Spirit  of  God  took  the 
place  of  the  incarnated  (Christ,  as  soon  as  He  was  seated  at  the  right 
hand  of  the  Father  on  high,  has  ever  been  present  m  lus  church 
since  the  first  (■hristian  pentecost.  . 

The  en^-ineer  seems  to  run  the  train  of  .-ars,  but  the  power  is  not 
in  him.  "So  the  preacher  and  other  agents  seem  to  run  the  Church 
of  Christ,  but  the  excellency  of  the  power  is  of  Ood.  {'2  (-or.  4:<). 
Electricity,  tbe  finest,  most  superior  power  in  the  natural  world 
ordinarii;  unseen,  yet  is  in  all  matter  and  ocnnislonaliy  is  aroused  to 
extraordinary  elYects.  So  with  the  supernatural  power  in  the  ( -hurch 
of  (rod  It  is  in  exercise  all  the  time;  but  in  every  spiritual  convic- 
tion and  in  every  personal  regeneration  it  is,  so  to  speak,  aroused 
into  the  miraculous  in  individual  salvation.  ,-     -^       „i 

Alcohol  seems  to  be  the  spirit  in  all  kinds  of  gram  and  fruits  and 
iuices  that  we  make  sugar  and  syrup  of;  and  electricity  ^PP^^;^  ^^J 
he  the  very  soul  of  matter.     So  the  supernatAiral   is  ttie  very  life  of 

Christianity.  ,   ^,       ..  i     ,n    .,.,fnva 

If  vou  will  take  llH-supcrnat.in.l   out  ol   droatum   and   all   n.i     le 

,„u|  ,•,,„„  (Ihrisliaiiily,  you  r:m  have  poac-c  with  Sata.i  and  all   other 

foos.  An,l  whv"  Be,-auso  they  want  t„  eva<le  (.o.l's  ju.l^n.ient.   But  it 

i^ot  noii^e.     For   if  (here   were   no  C.hrist.an.ty   nor   B.ble   in   (he 

world  thev  would  still  be  aeeountahio  to  the  Alini-hly  anyhow. 

A  elu,n-h  without  power  from  on  hif^h,  however  strong'  '»>"'"",";l  -V, 

eannot  be   instrutnenlal    in   saving'  souls.     ■■Salvatmn    ,s  "t   «'<^!, 

Sueh  a  eluuvh  is  only  a  body  witho.tt  a  --l-;--''>-  ;;  .^^"'tfec  y 
enemies  don't  obieet  to  that  kind  of  a  ehureh.  Hej  are  perfect  ly 
wlllin'for  you  to  have  as  nunO,  of  that  kind  of  relijrion  as  you  want. 
But  thev  ean't  iK^ar  anvthinn  hi.>;her  than  nature. 

If  d  ml  an  re  eould  spe^k  she  .„i,H,t  tell  us  many  th.nss  we 
would  like  to  know;  but  wo  know  that  '-'^v  o  the  s.atemen  of 
<-eolo.'ists  and  others  are  mere  suppositions  not^the  ^"'"^  '/''""  ; 
"The  -anlen  of  Kden  is  lost  to  us,  ex.-ept  the  Divnie  record  ot  ,t  ... 
the  Holv  Scripf...'es  of  truth.     An<l  that,  to  us.  is  a.  very  valuable 

wa''.' Altl.oS.:if  it  could  be  found,  I  would  ^-  ^^lad  to  see^^^^^^  ™.vse    • 

A  -  f..v  .  «  we  know    there  are  no  relics  ot   ^oah  >  aik.  nor  oi   mai 

onftl  n    iro  .'.ted    loses  on  the  Nile;   neither  of  a..y  of  bis  camp...,' 

h:,pl'n,e,lts  wi.ile  in  the  wilderness:  ..or  r.-o...  his  ,^rave  e.ther.     It 


140. 


TlIK  STORY  OF  ORKATION. 


nun-l,.tl.at   the  .x.uvatnrs   .nd   r.li.   hunters  will   lind  them,  and 
science  will  i^ivc^  us  the  true  dates. 

Neither  <lid  I'rovidenee  nllow  us  any  relies  of  our  SaMOi   nn      k    m 
lived  in  this  w.)rld,  except  what  are  in  His  liviuo-  ^<^'^-  J^'^'^^ 
previous  are  thev!     So    nuicli   ])etter  than    the   wooden    cro>s,  >to.o 
tond),  sandals  and  tiie  seamless  vesture.  .Sn  world 

l>erhans  this  is  one  reason  why  He  didn't  keep  lumse-tae  wmid 
would  hlive  ..cramhled  for  the  n^lics;  and  with  more  Pjn'^istence.  p(  i- 
haps,  than  for  the  Master  Jlimself ;  or  some  at  least  ^v'nild  ha  . 
For  instance,  as  in  the  crusades.  He  suflered  all  to  ^'^^/^^'^ V'^Ti  .  n 
what  He  had  written  of  him,  He  had  preserved  more  durahle  than  in 
stone,     ^rhe  Lord  would  do  l»etter  for   us,  but  for  our  very  weakness 

If  the  Lord  denied  us  the  more  desiralde,  shall  we  be  surprised 
that  we  find,  comparatively,  so  few  of  t lie  less  desiralde  from  nncien 
life  pre.xerved  in  natun^?  Shall  we  say  such  and  such  thino-s  did  not. 
exist  because  we  do  not  find  any  remains  of  them  preserved,  in 
oP'anic  form;  when  we  know  that  so  many  thin,-:s  did  (^xist  of  which 
no"oro-anic  remains  are  found  i)reserved  in  nature?  The  one  would 
])e  as  a"-reeable  to  reason  as  would  th(^  other. 

The  vij)er  is  a  poisonous  seri)ent.     This  is  t  he  word  most  frequent  ly 
used  l)v  Our   Lord   on    this   subject;   ami    by   John    the   Baptist,  too. 
Tlie  «,dand  that  secretes  the  poison   is  said  to   be   located   under   the 
eye.  ^  This  is,  perhaps,  why.  if  they  can  .i^^et  anythin;,^  to  look  steadily 
in  their  eyes,  thev  can  charm    them.      1    do   not    think    it    is  of    the 
nature  of'hypnotism.      1    rather  think   it  is  the  eltect  of  their  poison 
exerted  throuirh  their  eyes  that    overcomes  their  pr(\y.     .iohn  Milton 
believeci  that  The  poison  was  u-iven  to  (he  serpent  after  the  tempta- 
tion and  sin  ()f  man.     T  think  so  myself.  '  In    i)art    for   his   defence, 
and  in  part  to  warn  us  of  the  ])oisonous  nature   and   dan^:er  of   sin. 
Ho  also  Ihouirht  that  venal  lust  seized  ui)on  Adam  and  Kve  soon  after 
they  sinned.      Perhaps  so.      [  believe  sin  has  instilled   poison    in   the 
human  blood,  especially  venal  jjoison.     And   perhaps  malice,  too,  or 
a  feelin<4- of   reven«z:e   as,  perhai)s,  they   had   a^^ainsl   tlu'   serpent   for 
what  he  had  been  the  means  of  doinu:,  and   hatred   to   the  devil,  .too, 
as  their  first  l»orn  turned  out  to  be  a    murderer.      Here   are   the   first 
fruits  of  heredity. 

Ky  the  time  of  Abel's  birth  they  had  undergone  a  chani'-e  for  the 
better,  and  their  revenii:e  had  mellowed  into  a  (k^i^p  sorrow  for  sin 
and  misfortune,  hence  they  namiMl  him  A!)(>1,  a  name  si,^nificant  of 
mournini^.  whicdi  follows'bereavemenl  or  somethiiiii;  very  dear.  And 
they  were  now  l)ereft  indeed. 

We  are  Doisoned  at  the  fountains  of  our  ]>ein»r-  Hence  to  rii,dd  a 
human  life  you  must  first  riirlit  its  heart.  (.Matt ,  V  :  17,  .Las.  JJ  :*ll). 
And  even  then  und(M- unfortunate  circumstances  it  is  hard  to  keep 
hear!  and  life  rij.cht.      lUit  it  <-an  be  done;  and  should  be.     Amen. 


(ni.VITFR   XXVI. 

Thk  Lord  was  j^'ood  to  man  at  first,  and  not  less  so  after  he  sinned, 
notwithstanding]:,  they  had  to  suffer  for  thei"r  sin.  At  first  He  pro- 
vided   his    food    for    him    ])y   s[)ontaneous  production.      Afterward, 


I        ^ 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATIOX. 


Ul. 


lU 


*r' 


i 


} 


thoui^h,  he  was  doomed  to  work  for  his  livin<,^  (Oen.  8:10);  the  Lord> 
was  ^ood  to  liim  in  putting'  it  within  such  eiisy reach  to  him. 

\Vork  was  not  only  a  penalty  for  what  he  had  done;  but  so  changed 
w^as  he  by  the  effects  of  sin  and  its  curse,  tliat  work  was  lienceforth 
necessary  for  his  health — of  body  and  mind  and  soul — to  his  physi- 
cal, ment,al  and  moral  nature.  And  under  his  changed  conditions, 
was  a  means  of  promoting  his  hapi)iness. 

Tlie  Lord  nuide  it  mucli  easier  Un-  him  by  causing  tlie  leaduig  food 
plants  in  their  very  nature,  growth  and  structure  to  suggest  to  him 
methods  of  planting,  of  culture,  of  harvesting  and  of  threshing  Hiem. 
For  instance;  wheat,  i)arlev,  rye  and  oats,  all  standing  upright  would 
naturally  suggest  to  him  methods  most  easy  and  rapid  for  harvesting 
and  of  threshing  them,  as  he  would  notice  liow  nature  herself  sepa- 
rated the  <'rain  from  the  husk  in  each  kintL  So  do  rice  and  Indian 
corn  suggest  all  these  things  by  their  naiure.  And  the  fibrous  plants 
as  cotton,  flax  and  others  grow  upright.  How  much  better  than  if 
they  rested  on  the  ground  easily  appears. 

The  species  of  cane  out  of  which  we  get  our  supply  of  sugar  and 
syrup  stand  upright,  in  easy  reach  of  man's  hand,  therefore,  is  clean 
and  nice  for  his  use.  The  same  is  true  of  the  coltee  plant  and  the 
tea  plant;  and  many  others,  as  beans,  cabbage  and  peas;  while  some 
trail  on  the  ground, Vs  the  scpuish,  pumpkin  and  melons;  but  we  see 
that  it- is  best  for  them,  they  need  to  rest  on  the  ground. 
'  And  others  grow  undgr  the  surface;  as  potatoes,  turnips,  beets, 
onions,  ground  peas  and  chufas,  which  we  see  is  best  for  t^hem ;  for 
they  need  moisture  and  protection  from  heat,  and  alternately  cold, 
which  defends  them  at  all  seasons.  . 

The  wisdom  and  goodness  of  the  Oreator  is  happily  seen  in  this 
wonderful  adaptation  of  nature's  vast  resources  to  t»^^^."^*^;  ^^,1  ^^f^^^ 
livino-  creature,  especially,  to  the  convenience  and  comfort  of  all  man- 
kind? And  no  less  wisdom  ami  skill  than  His  could  have  so  arranged 
it  all  as  it  is  in  all  the  earth  today.  ,  „    .,  •      ^k^ 

If  nature  did  it  herself,  then  she  Is  wiser  than  all  the  men  in  the 
world      She  did  it,  too,  in  advance  of  creature  wants.     Anj    man   is 
oblil'ed  to  see,  if  he  will  think  at  all,  Hiat  nature  of  herse  f  could  do 
no  ^uch  thin-s.     But  -The  fool  hath  said  in  hi.  heart,  1  l^jre    s  no 
Go^''    (Ps   58.1).     If  he  denies  (^)d's  existence   it  shows  that  he  is 
S^ablfof  reasoning.     St.  Peter  speaks  of  --e  wh.  are  igiioran 
of  the  facts  of  (^.reat ion-are  willingly   ignorant  o     them      Of  tl  at 
great  fact  that  all  things  were  produced  by  the  word  ot  (rod,  (2  I  eter 
^i  ^'^^ '  th'it  the  whole  universe  was  produced  by  His  word. 

'^V    dul    ot  tr^^^       inform  themselves  upon  the  subject.    Perhaps, 
nreferre       o    to  know.    So  it  is  now  with  their  successors.     He  says, 

hists ''  A  dtrat  these  scoffers  would  be  equally  ignorant  of  the 
Bi^  r;  docVr  ne  ot  the  general  Judgment  at  the  last  day.  As  t^lien  so 
Jiibleaocrrineoi  I     ^  informed  on  them;  are  wdlmgly  igno- 

=£  ™S  Risers  if  5f;;«.*s^;';:' 


142. 


THK  STORY  OF  ORKATION. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


143. 


of  c;o,l  towanl  a  world  .low  in    proparin,  for  ;':;;|.-';;7;,,7t,w,u"s 

Wh  lie  th    thou.'ht..*  of  a  fool.     And  it  is  worso  to  ultor  \^^om 

Tore  ,ii^  .0  ".  hi.,.'S  about  plants  more  wonderfnl  l.an  those 
.Jtluo^edrtbor  V.,r  i;,sta,K.e..!,.e  plant  dnnvs  out  oy,o..-ou^^^ 
ilvit  which  i^  sweet-  while  1)V  Us  side  another  nia>,  and  often  does 
:  V  o  t  of  tlu  "tl.'e  soil  thai  whieh  is  bitter.  One  P^nt ^^Jo.a 
for  men:  another  at  the  san.e  plaee  brink's  forth  I'?''^"';.^"  ''';.';; 
is  lite  in  the  other  (U'ath  ;  yet  -rowins  toijether.  The  luscious  wat;  i 
n  Ion  and  tin.  wihl  ,ounl.  eaeh  after  its  Kind,  '-'.v  «-- ''■"l  X.' 
the  same  hill.  The  sam..  soil  .nay  produee  In, Imn  '•<"';;'"• 
»weet  potatoes  and  peas  all  to-ether  at  the  same  tin.e.  The  peach 
and  the  erab  may  ;.nnv  si.le  by  side,  and  eaeh  bear  its  own   peculiar 

■I*  *  4- 

Tt  is  not  merely  nature  eon.l)ine(l  witli  tlie  art  of  imin  tlmt  doeth 
it  it  is  that  I'roWde.H'e  whieh  is  over  all;  whieh,  althoii-h  all  are 
-rowiiK^  to-ether,  eaeh  doin-  its  own  peculiar  work,  keeps  them  from 
mixiii'' with  eaeh  Other.  ^        .    •  i       t  ;*. 

Indian  eorn  will  mix  withiti  its  own  species,  but  not  outside  of  it. 
Nor  does  wheat  mix  with  .)ats,  nor  rye,  no;-  barley.  Peas  will  mix 
with  peas,  but  not  outside  of  peas.  So  cotton  will  mix  with  cotton, 
but  not  with  other  plants;  nor  will  flax.  Sweet  potatoes  will  cross 
in  their  own  species,  but  do  not  mix  with  Irish  potatoes,  ^or  do 
apples  cross  with  cherries,  nor  pears  with  plums;  but  everyone 
bears  after  its  own  kind.  Neither  is  it  nature  of  herself  that  does 
all  these  things,  but  it  is  Providence  that  keeps  us  pure  seeds  in 
everything;-  if  we  will  only  do  our  part.  We  owe  it  all  to  Him,  who  is 
ever  workTn*,^  throu-,di  nature  for  our  happiness.  It  was,  and  is  His 
deliirbt,  that  every  one  should  yield  fruit  after  its  kind.  And  as  His 
Word  teaches  us,  in  everythin-,'  we  should  give  Him  thanks. 

See,  too,  how  good  He  is  in  furnishing  so  much  as  He  does  without 
any  n'lan's  labor.  As  in  the  tropics,  the  savage  can  gather  from 
nature's  common  his  daily  bread;  and  in  temperate  zones  much 
grows  wild,  free  for  all. 

Suppose  there  had  been  no  (U-eation,  where  could  all  the  seeds 
have  come  from  that  support  the  world  now?  If  nature  furnished 
the  first  seed  of  all  our  harvests,  why  can't  she  do  it  today?  None  of 
these  writers  would  be  willing  to  depend  on  nature  for  the  grain  their 
bread  is  to  come  from.  Suppose  all  seed  that  we  plant  today  were 
destroyed,  where  could  we  get  wheat,  barley,  rye,  oats  and  the  others 
to  start  with  again?  We  could  not  stock  the  world  again  with  any 
of  these.  Nor  could  we  with  cotton  seed,  nor  Hax  seed,  nor  any  other. 
All  of  these  plants  are  dependent  upon  seed  for  reproduction.  And 
those  that  are  not,  depend  unon  scions,  slips,  grafts  and  buds. 

Now  if  nature  herself  furnished  the  first,  she  could  furnish  the 
world  again.  But  there  is  no  civili/ed  man  who  is  willing  to  risk  his 
life  for  her'to  do  it. 


V 


r  I  > 


In  time  of  the  flood  the  Lord  had  Noah  io  save  some  in  the  ark  of 
all  kinds  that  were  in  danger  of  being  killed  out.  A  flood  of  one 
year^scontinuance  would  not  kill  out  all  plant  life  anyway.  Many 
idnds  of  seed  will  lie  in  the  earth  for  years,  ami  sprout  when  the 
conditions  become  favorable  for  their  germination. 

The  L'ord  created  at  first  everything  with  its  seed  m  itself,  so  the 
Bible  teaches,  and  there  is  no  other  way  open  to  reason  or  common 
sense,  on  the  subject  of  its  origin.  If  all  in  the  world  today  should 
))V  any  means  get  destroyed,  there  is  no  one  willing  to  depend  upon 
nature  alone  f(.r  another  start.  But  if  she  did  it  at  first,  she  could 
do  it  again.  Yet  none  of  these  writers  would  risk  it,  unless  lliey 
were  obliged  to,  and  then  they  would  starve.  ,        "^ 

In  other  days  the  enemy  used  physical  opposition,  'low  he  is  Tr>^- 
in- to  use  mental  forces,  but  it  is  the  same  old  toe.  Hie  earth 
hetped  the  woman,"  and  restrained  him  from  the  first,  now  he  is  doing 
the  best  he  can  to  sustain  his  cause  under  existing  ^•'^•<'^l'«^^^',V^r;u,  /-^ 

If  any  one  should  why  I  do  these  thin-s,  my  answer  is:  l<oi  t  e  (^ 
glory  of  that  Ood  wlm  made  me,  and  redeemed  me  by  His  .^^••^^;•^^  ;  < 
for  the  -ood  of  my  fellow  men.  And  for  either  I  am  happy  to  1  .nc 
Z  v\^Vo  to  work.  And  if  it  were  necessary  would  patiently  sut  e.v 
\nrnow  let  me  say  candidly  and  honestly  to  all :  I  have  studied 
both  sides  and  every  phase  of  the  sul>]ect  under  <^^-^^;;^^l^^^'^ 
could  and  I  believe  the  students  of  Revelation  and  the  students  ot 
«a  re  w  1  see  that  (lod  is  the  same  in  both  fields.  He  wan  s  both 
^elVls-all  fields-worked,  no  doubt.  And  in  some  way,  or  other  He 
moves  men  to  think  and  work  in  the  various  fields  of  investigation. 
"All  are  His  servants."     (Ps.  119:91).  . 

Preachers  have  to  serve  Him  in  their  sphere;  oth(^TS  in  other 
spheres  Pharoah,  Nebucha<lnezzar,  Darius,  Cyrus  and  Alexander 
a  1  served  His  Honor  and  His  (llory  in  their  spheres. 

The  missionary  serves  Him;  but  not  less  the  explorer,  as  Living- 
ston and  others  pioneering  for  tlu^  Church  of  ^>-  ^-/^i; -^^;^;;:::^; 

Soldiers  and  sailors,  poets  and  ^^^'V^^^;  ^^"f  /    •^,.  !^\\  ,^^^^^^^^^^ 
rulers  and  their  fellow  citizens,  merchants  an<    ^^^^"'^^^yf;/;^^\>^';'^^^^^ 
doctors,  farmers  and  peddlers,  and  other  traveling  agents  that  bother 
them  so  much,  all,  all  are  His  servants 

Wo  should  all  be  patient  w  th  each  other.  All  ot  us,  il  nonesi,  ait 
ser  in.  Oo  in"  u  prions  fields  of  work  and  labor  for  we  «an  bo 
Christians,  and  we  all  shall  eome  to,-ether  by  and  by.  A  fjrand 
day  that  I  

CHAPTER  NXVII. 

^'  HE  hath  made  everything  beautiful  in  its  ^-o^;-;-^-    (^ 
':>.ii  p    V\  So  we  see-  and  equally  true  is  it.     Lver>tliii»g  is   ut-Hu 
fifltl  fn  ilsU-     ana' «-  "-V'vr^thi^  is  useful  ^^^^^-^ 
t.::'^'  rir.!;;;"  i;r«.a-   for  m:n  u;ha;^\hn>o.ief  ofetemity 

'''^:^Jl>:^of'Zt;.^M-^u^''  in-  al,  art;  and  not  less  so  in 


lU. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION 


nature.     Beauty  i.  no  acculont  in  art;  no  ."9;^^<;»"  '^  ';:>.;uoe"ft'ha'r; 
Xothin.'  in  art  requires  more  Ihoiisiht  and  elTort  to  be  P""'"','^    !',  . 
bea     v"    T  en    how  eoul.l  it  adorn    i.ature  as  it  does  without  mtelh- 
genoe-to  produ;e  it?     Perfect  beauty  is  the  P-f  •*■- ,"f  ^,,^1 
beauty  in  nature  is  far  superior  to  beauty  in  art  and  must  be  l.o>n  a 

"^^;:s:uS:;^:o;;;.;  t;:;;";:/hr>^His  art  there  -o h..^erni,^ 

hpantv  and  that  without  o])e(ii(MK'e  to  tliem  lie  could  not  pro( hue  A 
I^"^^;frluty-'  Th.  same  is  true  of  nature.  In  her  iK^aut.es^laws 
were  as  strictly  oheyed  as  ever  in  any  art  ^^  ^^^^/7^^>  ^^^-  ^^.^^.^  .^,^ 
Fverv  artist  knows  that  more  tliou-ht  and  delicate  ^^^^^^  '^^^ 
reSi^l  i'art  to  produce  perfect  beauty  than  i^.^P-^)^- ->;;  ;^ 
pait  of  the  copy.  There  has  to  he  a  just  proportion  of  ^^  Jlu  out 
irres,  just  dimensions  of  parts  to  correspond  with  all  ^[»^^^  '^^^^^^^^^ 
Every  one  must  have  its  exact  dimensions  m  proportion  to  lu 
dimensions  of  others,  and  to  the  whole  ti.irure.  And  every  bit  of  it  is 
copied  from  thi'  object  i'l  nature  it  is  intended  to  represent. 

The-eneral  contour  and  all  external  parts  have  to  conform  to 
nature  in  the  model.  Kv(Ty  feature  bus  to  be  perfect  in  itself  and 
all  features  properly  bh^nded  to-ether  to  constitute  the  outwaid 
beauty,  which  cannot  be  perfect  if  a  sin-le  feature  is  lackin<^r— or  too 
smalfor  too  lar-e-or  in  any  way  imperfect.  All  of  which  is  just  as 
true  in  nature.  And  she  obeys  all  the  laws  of  perfect  beauty,  show- 
in*?  to  us  not  only  the  wisdom  and  skill,  but  also  her  Authors 
exquisite  taste  for  beauty. 

In  every  well  constructed  piece  of  mechanism  there  are  membeis 
proportionately  lai^n'  and  proportionately  small.  So  it  is  in  every- 
thing,'in  nature ;   in   its  oro-anization,  contour  and   external    beauty, 

and  its  proper  use.  .      -n     .     i^     ^.i 

Inspiration  draws  upon  this  principle   in    nature   to  illustrate  the 

ors^anization  of  the  church  with  the  relation  of  every  member  to  other 
members,  and  to  the  church  as  the  wholes  body.     (1  ('or.  l*i  :D5-28). 

In  nature  every  flower  is  perfect  itself.  Its  beauty  is  perfect.  The 
same  laws  of  diniension,  relatively,  and  adjustment  of  the  ditl'erent 
parts  and  of  features  prevail  in  every  sinj^le  one,  as  do  in  the  whole 
tlowerinj?  department. 

In  the  class,  as  a  wliole,  are  unity  and  variety  ;  are  blended  tojjet  her 
in  the  j^'eneral  view  diiterent  sizes,  different  forms  and  dilTerent  col- 
ors.    The  class  is  perfect  as  a  whole ;  as  a  whole   its   beauty  is  per- 
fect.    Yet  no  more  than  each  one  is  perfect,  and  perfectly  beautiful. 
The  same  as  to  lart^'e,  and  small,  and  form,  and  color,  j^rouped  and 
blended  together  in  one  scene,  prevail  in  every  department  of  nature; 
embracing?'' all  extremes  of   every   kind  an<l   feature   in   one   perfect 
whole;  which  is  the  perfection  of  beauty.     (Ps.  :)U:2).     This  is  true 
of  each  single  one,  of  each  department,  of  nature  as  one  ^^rand  whole. 
As  it  is  also  in  Mis  spiritual  realm.  The  just  blendin*,' of  all  extremes 
into  one  perfect  whole  is  perfection— perfection  of  beauty. 

When  we  look  upon  the  world  of  sprin,i,'in<:,  j^'rowinj,'  <j:rass,  the 
meadows,  pampas,  prairies  and  table  lands,  what  beauty  everywhere 
in  nature's  tureen  j^reets  our  eyes.  And  upon  the  forest  as  it  waves  in 
majesty  with  its  almost  countless  variety  of    i^enus  and  species  of  all 


J 


\ 


THE  STORY  OF  OREATIOX. 


145. 


i  r  I 


/Iv 


\ 


f 


i 


s 


heij?hts,  of  all  sizes,  of  all  forms,  of  all  colors,  of  coarseness  and  fine- 
ness of  work  and  of  finish,  what  beautiful  scenes  it  presents.  Climb 
the  ridges,  ascend  the  mountains,  '^-iew  the  landscape  o'er;"  ri.se 
higher  until  the  clouds  of  heaven  like  pillows  of  softest,  whitest, 
prettiest  down  roll  below  your  feet  and  greet  your  rapturous  eyes 
with  wonder.  Look  thence  upon  nature's  face  all  around  you,  now 
level,  now  oval,  now  broken  into  gulfs,  canyons,  deep  gaps  and  high 
clifts,  precipitous  heights,  giving  the  scene  a  grotesque  beauty. 

Look  out  upon  the  world  of  water,  from  the  dew  drop  sparkling  in 
the  morning  sunlight  up  to  the  arch  of  the  rainbow  spanning  the 
skies  over  your  head.  From  the  rivulet  and  tiny  brook  to  the  mighty 
river,  rushing  over  the  shoals  and  cataracts,  now  silently  rolling  in 
grandeur  in  its  beautiful  channel,  ornamented  on  either  -^hle  with 
Trees  in  lovely  green,  as  it  sweeps  on  through  the  tropics.  Now  as  in 
silvery  basins  revels  in  the  high  land  ponds— oft  quite  up  to  the 
mountains— and  in  the  silver  lakes  of  pure  water,  as  in  northern 
climes  and  in  the  great  gulfs  of  southern  regions,  and  grand  lakes  of 
all  continents,  and  bays,  and  sounds,  to  the  ocean's  sweep  around 
the<Hobe;  now  sparkling  with  gems  of  beauty,  then  rolling  m  tre- 
mendous power  and  overwhelming  majesty,  and  from  soine  eminence 
view  her  in  her  natural  state  of  repose— one  of  the  grandest  scenes  in 

the  terrestrial  world.  ^       •  i       4^u« 

Then  look  up  into  the  heavens,  by  night  or  by  day.  Oonsider  the 
splendors  of  the  sun,  moon  and  stars,  and  other  wonders  and  beau- 
ties in  the  upper  deep,  (laze  and  gaze  and  yet  dwell  upon  the  scene, 
till  your  eyes  are  ravished  with  beauty,  l^auty  in  perfect  order. 
A*'reeable  to  her  established  laws. 

Vow  ask  yourself,  whence  are  all  these  with  their  wondrous  scenes 
of  beauty?     Oould  any  accident  in  nature  have  caused  them  to  be? 
Could  any  inherent  law  of  matter  in  itself  have   produced  them   ami 
so  arranged  them,  so  as  that  shall  be  the  counterpart  of  this,  and  all 
of  them  so  help  one  another,  so  that  it  takes  them  a  1  to  make  one 
perfect   whole,  and   that  no  one   part   can   exist  without  the  other 
parts"     Was  there  not  behind  or  before  them  all,  a  conceiving  mind, 
acniding  eye,  a  polishing  hand?     Clearly   it    is  seen   that    nothing 
short  of  the  Supre.ne  mind,  power  and  skill,  ccmld  ^^'^ '^^";, ^'Vue 
See  the  world  of  Hower..     \\'hat  exquisite  beauty  here !     From  the 
least  to  the  greatest  of  them  rare  beauty  strikes  us  with  «|! rpri.se  and 
deli'dit      From  the  tiny  violet  to  the  magnificent  magnolia.     Of  all 
foms  and  colors,  greeting  the  eye  with   beauty,  filling  the  sense  o 
sme  1  wth  sweetness.     All  of  the  fruit  bearing  trees,  domestic  and 
Wld     a  ml  al    fruit  bearing  vines,  are  full  of  beautiful,  ^weet^flojers 
hi  n-  the  spring  time  atmosphere  with  fragrance,  a  precursor  of  t  le 
hl^ioJs   friit  ^>ming  after.     After  this,   -|,  ^-^^^^^^^^^^i;;,^^ 
steady  -rowth  of  solid  green  of  summer,  nor  that  aiitumn  of  solemn 
beauty  which  is  to  follow   it-,  all    bringing  so  much  happiness  into 


14(), 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


147. 


!'l'- 


j^^reat  beauty.     And  1  lio  pretty  buttertiios  in  their  beautiful  sprin 
summer  and  fall  dresses.  AlflTmio-li 

J.onk  upon  the  world  of  reptiles  that  lies  at  your  eet.  Alt«^ 
hideous  to  our  feelin-s,  it  nevertlieless.  has  a  -reat  deal  of  resisttui, 
uninvitin"- beauty  lo  oiu*  touch.  , 

Behokfthe  world  of  fish.  What  a  variety  of  sizes,  shapes  and  eol- 
ors  of  wonderful  beauty  and  powers  of  impression  to  ^lye  ^^f^l'^'^^^  )] 
the  beholder:  from  the  tiniest  minnow  to  the  splendid  trout ;  and 
the  fine  i^'old  fish,  to  ravish  the  eye  with  their  beauty  and  tempt  the 
appetite  for  j:rustation. 

Look  out  upon  the  feathered  world.  Now  afloat  upon  the  water, 
now  ridin-  the  air,  now  on  foot  by  land  or  by  sea,  now  hllin^  your 
jrroves  Willi  the  music  of  a  hai)py  nature,  which  without  craft  or 
commerce  are  blessed  with  a  wealth  of  enjoyment  which  our  child- 
liood  often  covets. 

Now  look  at  that  world  of  beasts  which  lies  all  around  you.  Its 
droves  of  horses,  its  herds  of  cattle,  ilocks  of  sheep  and  iroats,  herds 
of  deer,  antelopes  and  others  of  numerous  species,  of  animals  both 
j^reat  and  small,  with  all  their  beauty,  and  wonderful  mechanism, 
hist inctive  natures,  countless  variety  of  life,  from  the  least  to  the 
C'reatest  of  them.  See  how  al!  these  living'  to<!:ether  in  this  world  at 
the  same  time  are  happy  neij^dibors  to  each  other  in  all  the  world  of 
animal  life.     So  much  so  that  they  could  hardly  get  aloni?  without 

each  other. 

And  then  think  that  they  have  lived  thus  to^cether  without  mixmi? 
in  nature  one  species  with  any  other  species  ever  since  the  day  they 
were  created.  And  you  will  be  almost  lost  in  astonishment  at  that 
power  and  that  wi.'^dom  that  produced  tiiem,  arranijed  them,  pro- 
tected them  in  their  kinds,  and  provided  for  them,  as  they  have  been 
and  are  unto  this  day. 

What  power  and  what  wisdom  could  have  done  a  work  so  vast,  so 
intricate,  so  wonderful?  Surely  it  could  not  be  anything  less  than 
the  work  itself!     It  was  God.     The  Lord  Almighty. 

Then  when  we  look  at  the  human  family  as  it  is  today,  or  as  it  has 
been  in  any  other  age  of  the  race;  upon  the  human  face  in  its  per- 
fection of  beauty  in  male  and  female;  in  its  arc  of  intelligence,  in  its 
radiant  splendors  of  mind  and  spirit;  can  we  think  an  ape  is  the 
author  of  that  face?  (rod  forbid.  Yes,  forbid  that  any  one  of  the 
race  should  be  so  base  as  to  say  or  to  think  it.  I  do  not  think  any 
one  can  say  it  in  sincerity.  Truly,  in  view  of  all  the  evidence  in 
nature  we  might  conclude  it  would  be  indeed  only  a  fool  who  could 
even  think  'in  his  heart  there  is  no  God."     (Ps.  58:1). 

All  beauty  is  of  God.  All  ugliness  comes  from  the  devil.  God 
Himself  is  perfect  beauty.  The  Son  of  God  "is  the  chiefest  among 
ten  thousand — he  is  altogether  lovely.  (Cant.  5:10-16).  He  is  "fairer 
than  the  children  of  men."     (Ps.  45:1-8). 

(jod  is  happy.  The  source  of  happiness,  as  He  is  of  beauty,  and  of 
love,  and  all  that  is  good.  Whenever  He  manifests  Himself  to  a  soul 
in  that  extraordinary  way  which  He  does  not  unto  tlie  world  at  large, 
that  soul  is  happy. 

He  is  always  with  His  people,  but  when   they   have  that  peculiar 


i       I 


> 


i. 


f      \ 


manifestation  of  His  presence,  there  is  great  rejoicing  among  them. 
The  shout  of  a  King  is  then  heard  in  their  camps.  It  was  so  all 
through  Old  Testament  times,  as  through  experience  in  New  Testa- 
ment days,  and  has  been  all  along  through  the  years  since. 

And  what  is  more  beautiful  than  such  scenes  in  Zion— in  her  loy- 
in^r  raptures  to  God,  and  t-o  all  mankind— glimpses  of  Heaven,  in 
practically  redeemed  humanity.  Then  it  is  He  beautilies  the  meek 
with  salvation.     (Ps.  119:1).     And  He  puts  a  portion  of  His  beauty 

upon  them.     (Ps.  90:17). 

Art  is  indebted  to  nature  for  all  of  her  finest  conceptions.   \V  ithoul 
nature  she  would  have   no   standard  of  perfection  ;   no  criterion   for 
correct  iud^^ment  of  her  merits.     Without  nature  she  would  have  no 
true  ideals?  no  material  models  of  perfection.     And   when  she  rises 
above  this  terrestrial  world  she  is  indebted  to  the  Bible  for  her  con- 
ceptions of  angels.  .    at        *- 
The  first  ever  imitated  by  art  were  in  the  wilderness,  at  Mount 
Sinai   when  Israel  was  free  from  other  cares— support (h1  directly  and 
perpetually  bv  providence— had  a  tine  opportunity  to  study  yi^/f/^" 
cute  the  tine  arts.     Being  inspired  of  God  for  all  the  tine  work  of  the 
tabernacle,  (Ex.  ni  :1  :ll),  drew  and  carved  angels  for  the  ornamenta- 
tion of  the  tabernacle ;  and   for  Divine  teachings  by  object  lessons. 
(Ex.  JJ7:t)-9,  and '25:17-22).     These   being  the  first  on   record,  other 
nations  must  have  borrowed  the  art  from  the  Hebrews     Many  of  the 
finest  works  of  art  are  indebted  to  the  Bible  for  their  ideals. 

The  P.ible  has  given  inspiration  for  the  finest  of  artistic  works,  to 
poetry,  to  oratory  and  eloquence.  Has  led  to  the  }'^^^'^',^^'lJ''ri 
forim;  of  government  in  the  world  today.  Has  given  birth  tx)  the 
best  civil  and  penal  codes  of  law  and  of  jurisprudence  }^  J'^'f^'^- 
She  has  reformed  the  administration  of  government  in  ciyil  and  penal 
justice  and  given  to  the  nations  the  best  forms  of  retribution  in   the 

enforcement  of  law  known  among  men.  ,       „,:  ,^ 

Art  has  conceived  well,  executed  well,  and  deserves  much  praise 

Her  close  imitation  of  nature  often  strikes  us  witli  astonishment  ami 
ml  us  w'ith  delight.     She  has  gone  far  beyond  what  earlier  ages 

''t^^^^eZ^:^  the  Bible  have  led  her  on  to  the  vi^o- 
rieVshe  has  won-to  the  triumphs  she  enjoys  in   her  spheres  today 
In  a  se'^se  it  1^  by  obedience  to  that  pristine  law  given   to  man   at 
Jirs^indwritten^in  the  heart  of  the  race-subdue  nature-have  do- 

"^An^;;:;::nhe:-onim^^^  Josus,all   things,  except  t^ 

Asaiypeoiii^^  were  put  under  his  feet;  mankind  in   obe- 

l-mTZ  ans^els  arc  eh.ar^>ocl  to  minister  to  tho  cl.ildren  of  (,od. 

CHAPTKIt  XXVIII. 

Vat,trk  or  nrovidenco  iisos  in  somo  way  or  other  for  some  specific 
pun'ore\";>nl"i^^;rwhicl,  was  created  an.l  made  wl,e,her  we  see  t.^e 


148. 


THE  STOPwY  OF  CREATION. 


use  of  it  or  not.  Let  a  cliild  look  at  a  piece  of  machinery.  He  can  t 
see  any  use  for  so  many  little  wheels,  but  the  machinist  sees  their 
use  and  knows  the  need  of  them;  he  knows  the  desired  result  could 
not  be  obtained  if  any  of  them  were  taken  out. 

So  on  earth  and  in  the  skies  are  many  thin^^s  wliich  to  us  may  seem 
useless;  yet  the  Lord  hath  need  of  them,  and  the  world  would  sutler 
damage  if  any  of  them  were  lost ;  for  we  cannot  afford  to  do  without 
any  of  them — not  even  the  least  of  them. 

We  cannot  afford  for  any  of  the  stars  to  be  blotted  out — not  the 
smallest  of  them.  Xor  do  we  need  any  more.  They  might  be  in  the 
way  somewhere.  While  we  can't  do  so  well  with  any  less  than  we  liave 
in  nature,  we  do  not  need  any  !iew  ones  brought  in.  Nature  is  all  right 
aj4  she  is — needs  no  change.  Evolutionists  are  heterodox  to  nature.  It 
takes  the  whole  of  nature,  every  part,  and  everything  in  nature,  to  ac- 
complish what  the  Lord  wants  done.  As  in  a  great  cotton  mill,  it  takes 
all  of  that  vast  machinery — every  piece  of  it,  every  wheel,  large  and 
small,  every  band,  long  or  short;  all  the  motive  power,  all  the  hands 
there  employed  to  produce  a  single  yanl  of  cloth  as  it  does  to  turn 
out  many. 

So  in  nature,  it  takes  the  earth,  moon,  sun,  planets,  and  the  twelve 
constellations  in  concert  of  action  with  all  of  their  influence  to  per- 
fect the  smallest  flower  as  well  as  the  largest,  and  to  ripen  the  least 
of  seeds  for  the  smallest  of  birds,  as  well  as  the  largest  kind  of  grain 
for  the  largest  birds,  animals,  and  for  mankind. 

And  no  doubt  it  would  have  cost  the  l^ord  as  nuich  to  redeem  one 
soul  as  to  redeem  the  whole  race. 

Everytliing  in  the  mineral  kingdotn  is  for  the  use  of  manj^ind. 
Everything  in  the  vegetable  kingdom  is  for  their  benefit.  Everything 
in  the  animal  kingdom  is  f(»r  their  help.  Although  often  the  help  of 
.^otiie  is  unseen  by  those  who  receive  it.  We  would  scarcely  see  the 
use  of  mosquitoes,  gnats  and  flies,  yet  they  are  helpful  to  us. 

I  have  noticed  that  everything  which  is  at  all  peculiar  to  a  country 
is  needed  in  that  country.  In  hot  countries  are  more  mosquitoes, 
gnats  and  flies,  and  I  think  they  help  the  people  to  better  health, 
less  sickness  than  otherwise,  in  those  climates. 

The  house  fly  being  a  universal  companion  of  man,  she  finds  his 
abodes  in  all  latitudes,  as  far  as  I  know  at  Itnist.  Yet  I  have  never 
seen  in  the  works  of  any  writer  a  true  account  of  her  generation. 

She  hatches  her  young  within  her  body;  delivers  Only  one  at  a 
time;  drops  it  on  the  warm  excrements  of  aninnils.  It  resembles  a 
very  small  white  worm,  (;rawls  at  once,  sinks  itself  out  of  sight; 
there  it  remains  if  not  interrupted  until  it  passes  its  pupa  state,  into 
which  it  soon  goes.  For  the  most  part  they  raise  in  stalls  of  horses 
and  nuiles.  In  the  spring  time  those  who  move  the  manure  will  see 
many  white  worm  like  beings  about  an  inch  long  with  black  heads. 
These  are  the  house  flies  in  their  pupa  state.  Later  many  small  fly- 
ing creatures  will  be  seen  in  the  stalls.  These  are  the  young  flies; 
and  half  grown  ones  will  l)e  seen  in  the  house,  the  new  comers. 

Whether  your  stalls  are  near  or  far,  they  will  natronize  you  any- 
how; and  let  you  be  ever  so  neat,  they  will  not  slight  you  ;  they  will 
mak*'  themselves  familiar  anyway.     When  they  are   numerous   I   do 


i  1  ^ 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


149. 


J 


k 


k 


i 


not  think  it  indieates  coming  sickness,  but  ratlioi-  that  they  help  to 

keen  sickness  away.  ,  ,       ,_^, 

But  when  the  hornet  wants  some  of  them  to  feed  her  little  ones  on 
let  her  help  herself,  and  she  will  not  sting  you  The  horivets  and  aU 
stinging  things  \Yill  be  peaceable  with  you,  unless  you  strike  at  them 

"some  might  think  that  poison  is  not  needed  in  the  world,  '>"*  '*  >« 
used  very  much  both  in  art  and  science.  The  '^'^•^'f.^]"''^?"^, 
different  kinds  of  poison  to  counteract  diseases  of  certain  foims ,  thus 
death  is  made,  as  it  were,  to  minister  .to  life.        ' 

Northern  people  think  it  strange  that  southern  people  will  stimu- 
latrthemsel^-es'^vlth  coffee.    But  the  people  of  the  trop'c^  know  t  a 
it  lielps  them  to  resist  malaria,  which    s  more  common  '"  '  "*  «"r^ 
tries    han  in  cold  ones.   And  those  at  the  north  «y"k  >t''»"""™ 
people  at  the  south  do  not  learn  better  than  to  f ''^  PO'^i '^"^  .'^j""^,'^- 
But  experience  has  shown  them  that  such  a  diet  helps  to  res  st  tie 
unler^th    elements  unavoidably  taken  into  their  ^y^^enis  by  m  ala- 
tion.     You  can  hardly  poison  a  tat  hog;  and  h>«  Srcase  w  1 1  eflect 
iiallv  counteract  poison  in  man,  or  others,  properly  used,  and  imme 
Tately    Hog  mea"^.  is  a  helpful  thing  in  southern  lands,  a  convenience 
and  a  universal  source  of  happiness. 

When  a  fellow  goes  to  gather  blackberries  and  is  in  a  hurry  and 
the  thorns  St  ck  in  his  clothes  and  his  hands,  too,  then  he  had  rather 
findsoirwihou  thorns;  but  if  they  had  no/h">-"«- ff-j^^^Pf:  ^'i^ 
animT  wLld  have  eaten  them  off  so  close  there  would  have  been 

no  berries.  ...  .     ^   „„/»  fUo 

When  we  consider  the  usefulness  of  everything  in  nauro  and  the 
harmony  that  has  existed  in  her  from  Creation  until  now  as  is 
reveTd  tot's  in  His  Word  and  is  seen  in  the  ■•'r^^'f,';  ^.^^^^  ,"1  f^^h^ 
idence  in  all  His  works,  it  is  patent  to  observat  on  t^iat  it  '^^^f.^ 
Bible  teaches— all  of  Him  that  maketh  all.     (}od  is  one.    _^^ture  is 

I  want  to  see  them  stretch  themselves  ^2':  T^o^^  who  make 
want  to  see  them  on  parallel  lines  ^if^  "'^•™f„/,'^^nee  and  phi- 
suppositions  to  build  theories  upon  '^/'^ 'J^ J  ""  "J\"heTeas  they  are 
los^W,  trying  to  "^  «^j  ^  ^^tr^hi  Lo^hy  S'^ko  theji  all 
not  learning  at  all.     it  scienct.  ^^"^m  i    ^  These  fungi 

off  they  would  he  lots  ™o>-'^  ««'"«;*'  ^.J^^^^  ^^r^o.ophy.     When 
have  been  a  great  damage  to  both  ^";""„'Jp\„,p  t«  the  Bible, 

theology,  ^^'''f «- ^XTscTenc"  a"d  phiSso'^ty  are  in  accorcl  with 

li^tfirrthg^^ini^o^^p.^ 


150. 


'j'HK  SrullY  UV  CKKATION. 


THE  STOKV  OF  CRKATIOX 


151, 


>vhatovcr  wo  would  IH.  d.in,  at  any  time  to  any  natural  tlnn^,  wo 
would  bo  doino;  that  to  a  part  of  (rod  s  'jj^^iy-  ,    ^j  ^  ^j,p  ^oul  of 

It  is  somewhat  liko  the  uWa  some  l^»ve.^*l^'^"f,^  '      nr  ^ 

man  is  a  part  ot  the  Lord  ^^^  ^^^Jv:^^ h  u'h  he  ^  deatl ;  1 
I  am  no  part  of  my  earthlj  fatlicr,  \^*^";;;  ,,^  ,.  ^,7  ^j^^,  ^j^,ne  nature 
can  without  his  death  die.  I  have,  notw.thstand  n?^  ho  „-  from  liim. 
-soul  and  body-whieh  he  had  ;  yet  I  am  a  separ  e  ^^^^^^^ ^^^^_ 
Ood  existed  before  He  created  any  thin<.^ ;  and  eou  c  ^^^^^^^  \^^, 
tion  was  blotted  out.  Creation  added  "*>^'^\'^^,.^r^\^\".  '^I'lV,  i,,. 
was  perfect  befon^     Accordin,- to  tluvse  evolulionisls  He  ^^oulu   be 

^^TcS^nvt .;;!:  f^n  m^fS  mother,  and  partook  of  the 
.omSeirn^m^e  of  tiu.n  both;  yet  it  is  tl-ou,h  the  LorcV^H.swo  1. 
But  neither  is  my  body,  nor  my  soul,  any  Pf />*/;?  '  .^^^^^Vlene ,(  - 
Spirit,  self-existent;  so  man  is  a  spirit,  created  of   (rod,  and  depend 

'll^^;::;!^  hiled  his  phu-e  whUe  he  lived  in  this  world  ;wc^t  away 
but  left  not  the  world  l>ereft,  for  six  were  be,<;olten  ot   his  ^^^  1  '  " 
body  to  fill  that  nlaee  left  vacant  by  his  departure,      ^^^p;  .^^  ^^  ^   ^ 
his  ima<je,  and  of  their  mother,  too,  but  were  no  part  of  the  pe is      s 
of  th.ir  father  and  mother.     So,  in  a  scriptural  sense    man  s  .        h 
ual  nature  is  in  the  similitude  of  (Jod,  but  is  no  partot  (rod.     >(  ilhei 
Is  tlu:  iXral  world  His  body;  nor  is  (^od  the  soul  of  the  uniyer^ 
It  is  His  (Creation.    Ha^  ever  been  under  His  control.    And  is  alwaj .< 

His  care— ever  in  His  keepinir.  .    .        .n.    i      ^  n... 

,1  When  a  soul  is  regenerated  by  the  Holy  Spirit  it  is  said  to  have  the 

Tfy^  prospect  of  becomini^  a  partaker  of , Divine  nature.  (J  I  eter  i  :J-i). 
But  it  must  mean— not  naturally,  morally  and  spiritually— in  peace, 
ioy,  -oodness,  hu'C,  kindness,  meekness,  patience,  for-iveness,  beaii  y 
and  ri-hteousness,  in  a  twofold  sense  are  the  ''Sons  of  (rod.  the 

oyeso'f  the  Lord  run  to  and  fro  throughout  the  whole  earth.  (i 
(^.hron.  1(*):9).  ''Are  in  every  place,  beholdinj-;  th(>  evil  and  the<vood.  ' 
(Prov.  V)M).  ''His  eyelids  try  the  children  of  men."  (Fs.  11:1).  So 
His  attention  is  ever  upon  the  human  family. 

He^^rovideth  food  for  the  wild  l)easts;  satislieth  the  youn*:  ravens 
wdien  they  cry;  feeds  the  tish  and  others,  yea,  all  that  are  in  the  sea; 
and  for<?(4t(^th  not  the  sparrows.    (St.  Luke  I'ird).     So  He  careth  for 

these — all. 

He  is  in  the  clouds,  the  rain,  the  dew,  the  wind,  the  storm,  the 
earthquake,  the  whirlwind,  the  snow,  the  hail,  the  frost,  the  li^ht- 
nin«,s  the  thunder,  tlie  calm,  the  drouth,  in  plenty,  in  famine,  in 
life^'in  death — everythin<;  we  call  nature,  rei^nilar  or  phenomenal,  tlie 
Scriptures  ascribe  to  the  Lord. 

All  miracles  recorded  in  l)oth  Testaments  are  attributed  to  His 
power.  Nature  never  did  a  miracle.  Thc^refore,  sh(^  never  could 
evolve  one  species  of  animals  into  another  species.  That  could  never 
be  done  without  a  miracle,  and  that  the  evolutionists  will  not  allow. 
And  if  she  ever  i^ot  into  tlu^  miraculous  she  could  not  stop — her 
course  is  regular,  permanent — and  that  would  be  more  than  they 
want.  She  never  did  as  they  suppose  she  did.  Such  a  supposition  is 
contrary  to  science  and  philosoph.y,  as  well  as  contrary  to  all  nature. 


j       { 


[ 


y'k 


f    \ 


If  no  remains  of  i^iant  men  aiv  found  pi-oserved— whole  or  in  part- 
it  is  no  proof  that  such  men  never  lived;  nor  does  it  prove  tliat  such 
remains  are  not,  somewhere  preserved  in  nature  \^^^^^''''''f^'l^.'^ 
a  man  that  weio-hs  four  hundred  pounds.  The-  ^>^^^^^  ^^'^^^^^ ^^^ 
heavy  a  ft'iant  was.  Perhaps  four  hundred  pounds  would  be  an  a\(r- 
a'»e  weiirht  for  a  iriatit  man.  .        .^  .  ^^^ 

l.t,at.Thovc  woro  not:  just  as  many  small.;.-  sp.<M.s  ol  an.n  a  s  tho    Uy 
iiv-as  ai-p  now  livin;;,  and  that  they  .li.'d  an.l  wont  to  .lust.     And   il 
r.vn    ins  of  tho  spH.ies  of  animals  now  living  nro  found  w.th  I, l.oso 
o    oirwhotl-,,n-  lal^ce  or  sn,all-it  is  no  ,„-oor  that  <'"-  -;;-';;- 
mains  of  thorn  prosorvo.l  so.nowhoro  ,n  Iho  wovid      -^   '' J^'^'    '     ; 
•ihsonooof  any  of  thorn  over  holn- found  wdl  luriish   no   prool   tl  ,  t 
;  r  spoe  OS  did  not  livo  all  alon..^  in  (imo  with  thos<.  whoso  roma.ns 
aro    ound    .vosorv(«l.     For  a.-oordins  to  Cod's  do.u-oo,  thoy  d,od  ami 
tl'ir  Zrul-ms  dooon,posod-roturnod  to  tho  -'rt^' •'^";^  f/^  .^^^'^ 
.,11   this  eltort  on  tho  part  of  thoso  writors  hut  to  havo,  as   t  m  ( ms. 
"nank  ml  to  turn  away  thoir  holiof  from  tho  porfoot  an,     h.:'"^'    [ 
"".-on   . If  all  naturo,  I  sho  is  today,  a.s  td,o  ('-ator  h.as  ,,von  us  1 1  o 
rinosis  of  in   His  IToly  Word,  to  an  u-ly   monstrositj   tho>    ti      1« 
id. "in  to"othor,  and  in' thoir  vanity  call  it  a  .^'rand  syston.   ol    h!o, 
",  whon  oo'mp'..-o,l  to  naturo  is  a.  batch  o    1"><;«-^-^-       ^,,,,  ,,.,, 
Naturo  liorsolf  us  sho  is  today  is  a -rand  systom  ol   hi, ,  ami   u. 
,.vor   .'on  ,"  pr,-ttv  and  as  porfoot  sin,-,,  lu-r  Oroator  P-;"'"'!";'- ' '        ' 
\<  1  mi.n  .1.   ]         .  finishod  Ci-oation,  and  ,hsniiss,^d  hor  Irom 

;:i;-;,;;::;:r;i;;l;/;;::;;;::!.'n^^^^^^^ 

Yited  hands,  a^^ainsl  her  will.     (Ilom.  S:  — )• 

(UlAPTKB  XXIX. 
Kvu.onrE. 
T  PriTFV-    a.  I  understand  th(-  Bible  to  teach,  that  He  createcl  on 

Uio  rovolvin-  Indies,  puttm-  thorn  all  hi  ,  harj,o 
thoir  rospootivo  plaoos  o,„.f.„.(.  „f  tho  oarth  into  hills, 

Tho  ,lay  f,.ll,.winf;  Ho  '"•'>'^^/,Pf"':^^'.^,;    „!,,«;  so  as  tho  dry 
rid-os,  tablo  lands,  and  mountains   y"'    >  ^  ""';..P  ^;  ^  ,j  ,,,,fercd  as 

,,„,  ,„i,ht  b.j  P-'---'  '^;:^:r  ^'  a  u     of '  waCvapc.rs^  dows  and 
!;;;!.:;:^S;!J'w;li^:rh^St':;n=  -  -an^-d  nature 


152. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION, 


ir)IJ. 


and  outward  conditions,  so  as  to  answer  all  hi«  purposes  ^letuire'for 
need,  convenience  and  comfort,  as  his  generations  should  require  tor 

^^HowTr  H?may  have  then  carried  other  spheres  through  a  similar 
process  we  canZt  tell.  But  as  they  are  found  to  have  uneven  sur- 
faces I  hi  nk  that  is  the  most  probahle  time  when  it  was  done. 
Snomy  caches  that  the  planets,  for  the  most  part,  have  atmos- 
pheres a?d  uneven  surfaces  of  hills,  ridges,  valleys  and  mountains. 

-        The  former  idea  that  their  basins  are  filled  with  water  is  given  up 

They  tell  us  there  no  man  in  the  moon— that  no  kind  of  animals 

i  ^  could  live  therJ.  That  it  is  too  hot  in  the  climate  of  Mercury  for  any 
to  live  there— that  the  heat  of  the  sun  has  dried  up  his  atmosphere, 
if  he  ever  had  any— which  is  probable. 

They  have  never  seen  any  love  matches  made  on  Venus.  Noi  any 
worshippers  of  Jupiter  on  Jupiter's  shores  worshipping  Jupiter. 
Neither  any  wars  on  the  war  god  Mars.  ,,     ,  ^.  i 

But  it  is  said  there  are  mountains  and  valleys  on  all  of  these  ana, 
perhaps,  on  others.  The  Creator  suw  they  would  be  needed  there. 
That  is  the  reason  they  are  there.  If  I  understand  them  aright  their 
office  is  to  serve  us  in  some  way  or  other.  With  uneven  surfaces 
they  could  absorb  more  heat  through  the  day  from  the  sun,  retain  it 
lonc^er,  and  reflect  it  upon  the  earth  by  night,  which  is  important  to 
the'full  production  of  the  earth,  as  cotton  planters  find  by  experi- 
ence and  observation  that  warm  nights  are  essential  to  the  proper 
development  of  cotton,  both  plant  and  liber,  and  that  it  grows  most 

at  night. 

It  explains,  too,  a  promise  in  the  Bible  made  to  the  righteous.  (Fs. 
121:6.)  ^'Thesun  shall  not  smite  thee  by  day,  nor  the  moon  by 
night."  Travelers  say  at  the  equator  in  time  of  the  full  moon  it  is 
necessary,  if  you  have  no  better  protection,  to  hold  an  umbrella  over 
your  head  at  night  to  avoid  moon  stroke. 

Then  on  the  fourth  day  He  made  the  sun  the  center  of  light  and 
heat  to  us  and  to  all  parts  of  our  solar  system.  He  was  brought 
through  an  experience  thus  long  to  qualify  him  for  this  office  before 
he  was  trusted  with  it. 

There  was  a  supreme  moment  for  every  step  to  be  taken  by  the 
Creator  before  He  took  it.  At  that  moment  He  commanded  and  it 
was  instantly  done  according  to  His  will.  I  do  not  believe  He  waited 
for  results  from  either  glacial  or  molten  conditions,  but  when  He  had 
brought  nature  into  a  proper  condition  for  it  to  be  done.  He  did  it  at 
once,  within  the  given  time  mentioned  in  His  own  account  of  Creation. 

The  moon  received  her  peculiar  powers  on  that  day,  and  the  stars 
likewise,  in  regard  to  the  amount  of  light  and  heat  they  reflect  upon 
us  from  the  sun,  and  whatever  influence  they  may  have  upon  our 
weather  and  seasons. 

When  the  earth  was  ready  for  vegetation,  He  caused  her  to  vege- 
tate, and  to  produce  food  for  that  coming  host  of  life  that  was  to 
occupy  her  surface.  When  He  had  prepared  the  waters  to  produce 
and  to  sustain  life  in  all  of  its  various  forms  that  were  to  occupy  the 
waters.  He  commanded  the  waters  and  they  brought  forth  all  the 
forms  of  life,  in  adult  state,  or  they  rapidly  came  to  it,  which  He 


; 


\ 


/   ' 


intended  to  live  in  or  about  the  waters  of  the  whole  earth,  after  their 
l^ind^— on  the  fifth  day— and  flying  fowl  for  sea  and  for  hind. 

By  the  sixth  day,  the  earth  being   ready   for  her  animal    life    and 
bein*^  in  a  state,  too,  to  produce  them.  He  commanded  her  to  bring 
thein  forth,  and  she  obeyed..    It  wns  done  at  once  and   i!i   a  perfect 
nnmner.     None  of  tlieir  descendants   today   are   more   beautiful   nor 
more  perfect  than  tliey.     And  when  the  acme  of  .time  had  come,  He 
produced  the  higliest  product— man— on  the  sixth  day.     And  last  ot 
all,  when  all  the  lights  of  Heaven  were  ready,  and,  too,  all  tlie  beau- 
ties, and  all  the  sweets  of  Eden's  garden,  and  Adam  tired  of  waiting. 
He  brought  in  the  bride.     No  man    is   properly   made,  and    finished, 
and  prepared  for  his  life  work  until    he  finds  his  bride.     It^  is  the  tin- 
ishin-  stroke  of  all  his  preparations  for  living.    On  tliat  selfsame  day 
He  mlide  th.e  woman  ;   made  her  out  of  the  man.     The  coup  de  grace 

of  all  Creation.  x-     4      j-  +t     ...   i.r.fi. 

Thru  He  or(lain(Ml  marriage  for  tlie  mutual  comfort   o\  Uwm   hotii. 
And  the  Sal)hath  for  their  supreme   happiness.     And  without  these 
two  things  their  children  cannot  fill  their  mission   on   earth   and   be 
a.n-eeable  to  His  will ;  who  is  also  their  Creator.    An  adult  man  ^^.  h 
a"^natural  body  and  a  normal  mind  has  no   more   right   to   ^^"^^^  ^^^;^^  ^/J 
nnirrv,  nor  fail  to  keep  the  Sabbath,  than  a  horse  l^^s  to  go  nnbnd  Id 
in  a  eivili/ed  country.     Lot  any  one  try  to  reason  ou    ^•^-^\^ll^  ^^'^l^" 
out  the  r,ible,  such  a  one  will  not  fail  to  get  lost  on  it.     If  1  e   >  hon- 
est he  will  be  (Obliged   to   end   in   a  first  cause.     W  hat   is   that    first 
eause  of  all  tliin-^?     Is  it  matter?     Could   she  with   no   intelligence 
sh^^tielVas;he  is,  and  produce  the  effects  we  see  all  around  us/ 
See  l;:;^  earth  as  if  she  wi  moving  with  an  •"t.:lli.<'nt  view  wh n-h 
the  wisest  of  her  sons  cannot  imitate.     If    heir  w.s<  om  s     uld  ac  us 
her  differently  she  would,  as  it   were    laugh   them   to  ^^•^>["-     ^  \  ^. 
their  counsefcannot  help  her  in  the  least.     Sh.  ^^^^^'^^^^  ,^^^^  .;.  ^'^^X 
course  a  wis<lom  far  above  that  of  man    and  a   power  1 1  a        <^^l^*; 
ance  to  all  that  he  can  do.     If  allowed  to  exert    '^^•;-^;;l'  ;\      /'^^   ^^^^ 
could  shake  them  all  off,  or  swallow  them  ^M^-q^nckl     at  tl  a^^^ 

The  courses  of  the  heavenly  bodies,  altogether,  often  appear  as  a 
taMed  mazV,  but  each  makes  it  way  throi^h  -H.out  a..y  accid^^ 
to  any  one  of  them.  Within  the  history  oi  inan  s  »;  ^^  7^'  J'^^,": 
Irm  not  been  a  sinoh>  collision  among  any  of  them.  Often  in  the  liis 
l:^'of  a^^l^onomf  it  has  appeared  that  an  apP--^|;^^ -';;!;^  :;^»: 
strike  us,  but  she  has  as  often  sweetly  gl. dec  b>  us  and  ^^J^^ 
even  hear -the  music  of  the  spheres.        How   is   it  ^'^''        ;'V^ 


i:a. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


l;"),'). 


its  own  species,  the  enjoyment  between  the  sexes,  with  the  .results 
in  every  Hvin-  tiling-  in  all  the  earth,  he  will  clearly  see  that  it  ( an- 
not  be  f)y  any  merely  fortuitous  conditions  in  nature:  but  resuiunj, 
from  the  hij^hest  intelli^^ence,  and  from  a  power  that  is  supernatural. 
And  think  how  happily  these  principles  have  worked  m  all  trom  tne 
earliest  information  W(^  have  on  the  subject  unto  this  present ,  il 
shows,  as  the  Bible.declares,  a  supernatural  Creation  for  the  lirst  oi 
all  the  species  now  livinj,',  and  descendin«c  from  them;  and  a  super- 
natural superintendence  over  them  all,  all  alon«(  throu.irh  past  timo 
from  the  sixth  day  of  Creation  until  now.  And  whicii  is  dest  inefl  to 
continue  upon  the  same  orij^'inal  lines  without  any  evolutionar> 
chanj^^es,  throuj^li  all  time  to  come.  As  there  never  have  been  any 
evolutionary  chani^'cs  in  any  of  them,  so  there  never  will  be.  It  is  of 
itself  clear  proof  of  a  continual  providence  at  the  head  over  all. 

After  a  lonj,'  process  of  reasoning-  by  some  philosophei-s,  they  have 
said  thev  believe  that  the  earth  will  some  day  ^o  to  destruction  of 
herself. "  Without  anv  reasonin,<,'  upon  the  su])ject  the  Bible  declares 
as  a  revelation  from  Cod  tliat  the  earth  is  to  be  destroyed  at  the  end 
of  time.  (Ps.  lOl?  :2:)-2i\,  Heb.  1  :lt)-12).  I  have  no  fear  of  her  goinj:^ 
to  pieces  of  herself;  neither  of  a  comet  striking,'  her;  nor  of  any  other 
splu're  collidinu  with  her;  nor  of  the  excavators  cuttinj^her  to  pieces. 
But  when  she  ends  it  will  be  as  the  Scriptures  describe. 

And  whether  it  be  philosophical  or  scriptural,  it  is  my  interest  and 
it  is  also  your  interest  to  be  ready  for  it. 

When  she  shall  have  filled  the  mission  her  Creator  desi<:^ned  for  her 
to  fill,  and  she  is  ri])e  for  her  chanj^e,  it  will  come.  It  will  come 
whether  men  are  ready  for  it  or  not.  Whether  it  be  at  hand,  or  afar 
off,  it  is  our  interest — supremest  interest — to  be  prepared  for  it. 

Whether  we  shall  be  able  to  hold  our  present  status  until  the  fear- 
ful, or  happy,  day  shall  come  or  not;  if  we  are  prepared  to  siij^n  the 
papers  when  the  last  summons  shall  be  sent  to  each  of  us,  we  shall 
be  prepared  to  meet  all  else  that  may  follow. 


CHAPTER   XXX. 


APPI.ieATTOX. 


If  we  were  to  compare  some  of  these  writers  to  the  ancient  heathen 
philosophers  these  would  be  less  excusable  than  those,  for  those 
seemed  to  be  feelinj^  after  God,  while  these  seem  to  want  to  ^et  as  far 
away  from  Him  as  possible.  But  they  will  have  to  face  Him.  Then 
that  which  is  written  will  be  fulfilled  in  them.     (Prov.  1 :2:^-:]l). 

If  their  principles  should  prevail  our  <:^overnment  would  be  weaker 
than  the  Roman  and  (Jreek  governments  of  old.  For  they  could 
bind  the  conscience  of  their  people  by  their  supposed  <:jods.  But 
according  to  these  we  would  not  have  anythinj::  at  all  to  swear  ])y; 
for  the  ultimate  of  their  teachinj^  is  to  rule  Him  out  entirely. 
Whereas  the  Scripture  enjoins  upon  us  to  swear  by  the  Lord;  and  to 
forswear  one's  self  by  His  name  is  set  forth  in  the  Bible  as  an  awful 
crime. 

You  miirht  be  fooled  if  vou  think  a  sense  of  honor  would  restrain 


V 


I     k 


^ 


V 


f    \ 


men  from  the  wrons.  For  if  you  take  away  tlie  fear  of  the  Lord  from 
before  their  eyes,  belief  in  t!ie  Imman  soul  and  its  aecountaljihty  to 
(iod,  a  sense  of  honor  is  gone. 

Our  mercantile  business  could  no  loufjer  be  carried  on  as  it,  is  nor 
other  business  transactions  ainons  men,  if  it  were  not  for  tlie  hon- 
esty, truth  and  honor  there  is  among  us;  and  these  principles  come 
from  Christian  influences.  .  „•„„( 

Any  person,  therefore,  who  tries  to  exert  an  >"<  "fl*"^ .  "«^'"f^ 
Christianitv  is  so  far  a-ainst  the  interest,  the  best  interest,  of  his 
country.     Such  cannot,  therefore,  be  true  patriots.  ,    ,.     „ 

Those  very  teachers  ;ho  want  our  youth  and  .■hildhood  to  behove 
the  thin-s  they  teach,  if  their  patrons  believed  them,  they  would  have 
no  assm^iee  of  pay  for  tlieir  work.  If  they  only  knew  it.  as  far  as 
their  teacl  in?  cmi  prevail,  it  is  a.«ainst  their  .secular  int..rest-which 
is  the  snprenTe-it  seems,  with  them.  But  hapnily  for  themselves,  as 
well  as  for  the  rest,  their  tcachin;;;  does  not  prevail. 

Now  they  want  t'o  teach  all  these  errors  in  all  of  our  state  univer 
sities   and  their  branches,  and  in  all  of  our  pub  ic  schools.     And  ar 
mal-  1  "the  elVort  by  puttinR  in  the  textbooks  "1  /I'''  '7P"   '--^^  '" 
the  dim'rent  branches  of   science.     It  is  a-ainst  the  state  ior  it  to  be 
rl(^ne    for  it  leads  to  atheism.  ,     ,  .    , 

Ttii  ^  m  is  against  any  government  from  the  fa.-t  X""  /;«":;;'';'', 
the  conscience.     It  has  nothing  to  swear  by.     OaHi  ot  '1'^^;^^^;^^;" 
oHice,  of  jurors  and  witnesses  would  be  ol    no  force      *>*/"  [*^'; 
Oiker's  affirmation  is  made  in  the  belief  and  in  the  tear  of  thattxod 
whom  atbetits  deny.     Therefore,  for  the  state  to  teach  atheism,  is 
tnr  tho  state  to  cut  her  own  tliroat.  ,        . 

No  Chr  sHan  denomination  is  allowed  to  teach  «'^«f'^"'^'"^";,;" ''"/j 

school  under  the  control  of  the  state.     It  is  no  more  <!onstitutional 

n,  r  H  d     10  t.   ow  th<.  prin.-iples  of  athei.m  to  be  taught  in  our  pub- 

ic^chools   ;    to  universities,  or  any  of  their  branches,  or  any  inst^i- 

ut  onfost-ered  by  the  state.     They  are  wanting  to  do  ^^y;^^ 

do  it   clandestinely  under  the  name  of  science.     It  is  not  at  ail  saie 

for  the  state  to  sulfer  her  school  books  impregnated  with  errors  under 

iV^MOUS  names  of  tbe  diiferent  bra.ud.es  of  sc,en<-e  t^^^^^^^^^^^ 

schools  That  is  iust  what  they  are  trying  to  do,  to  k.ad  W"  P''"P^ 
into  aUieism.  Poisoning  the  text  books  with  these  errors  under  the 
color  of  teaching  science— "the  sciences. 

81,0  U.  «ioi.cc.    ;_">"''     "7     I     ,      |„  Hi,  ,,,j  to  nci  c»"tml 


TIIK  sroKY  OF  CKK.VnON. 

'  ,    .  ;,.   fiio  cronoral  pati*ona<i:o  of  Iho 

.1    •   ii-.,o  ..mnif>-i('<  in  t hat   wav   m   the  f^'(  ih  icu    i 
all  civil i/A-ii  cnunrno  HI  i"-i'         .        -^n,^  fr»  Qcipnoo. 

*;;:t'eont,-ol;  'f't-t'-''"'^''::  :.';^X'of\..-,onoo.     nu.  kooper.  of 
Alhoism  is  ,.n  intrn.lor  <t,  tlu  "■'?[;;,,;,„•,  ,,„.  Son  of  Cod  Hini- 

thnt  ttnnpV  sl^""'''  l""--'"'  '    ""'.ro  vi      lo  it     oo   in  a  way  tl.oy  least 
-i.lf  will  eU-ansc  that  trniple.     He  w  ill  •'"';,•,.  ,.,^.,.  ,„.,>,  supporting 

i,.;,<.t.     1  [e  will  cause  those  .^--••""7  ^^J,';'  V  '     ,-  P-Pl''  "'<-"'-^'' 

!:!;-,^:ra-<::;^h;ie"in"wi,r;;:it-^:iJ't:;,,:h  ,o..e.  -n.  tm.  or 

her  ptu-ification  is  ^■^'^^f.}'^t-,i,^,,y^,  to  he  honore.l  by  all-hnt 
Pure  science  is  a  g«,><\  t  un  '  "^'^";'  „„.,,,„..,.  j^  worse  than  use- 
athois,n,  or  i"'i'''-"'>i-''''f  V  V:,-  ^  ts  to' safe  thins  to  have 
less;  it  is  a  foe  to  nil  <'"'•'"■'•'  .'',\"*ttenV  If  we  do,  it  is  no  diffi- 
oither  e.nhedd.Ml  in  our  ,.dnca..onuI  sjsle  n.  ,„.;.,.,„|injr  provi- 

oult  malterto  foresee  the  resul  ^  '^  J-  :Vn  m<.rals,  in  society 
,|e,we  conld  prevent  lh<.  'l''™'''"'  '('j^i  ';''.,•,•,  wonid  follow,  lint 
,„d  .,.overn.nent.  an.l  co.n.nerce  ol  'l'^;"'''',,;^ ':;'.,?,  ,,|,i,,  we  can. 
l.rovi.lence  expects  us  lo  help  "1  ,^"",'^,  '\  ^  oV  provo.-ation, '  by 
We  should  not  harden  "."'L 'r" ^,1"  '"  .l''i^  The  American  peo- 
nosleetins  our  ,luty,  (Ps.  '.!., : .  -S  ='";  ""I  •  ^^- '^"^ ,;.  '^  „  . T.ev.  When 
pie  hear  that  voi.H>  ot  ;varMnv^  tod,      and  |',>  ,j,^„;   ,„  „„.•,, 

hev   shall   haveobeye<l,   t.od   will   """;"'"'       '-phese  very  fellow 
.ood;  and  the  truth  will  trUunph  »^,:""y;  ■",;,,  ,[^^n^^^ 
eiti^ens  could  no,  blame  them,    or  t         «      J'^;^     ^In'M.     Uul  U"' 

of  all  persons  to  P"''<'--\ ''j-^  ^  "so  ealeTsci   ,  U^     stnlements 
trouble  with  some  people  is,  they  t.  k(  ^"  <^''''' "  ,     ,     ,.  ,,r 

1  KM  ^^'^   y^'  -    ,,      .  <ronora.tion  of  athoists,  thcsi  tho\  \m1 

;:;  UddTbut  t'liV^rilhTs  aJrnot  all  dead.     Th..  people  Will  see,  and 

''^if  Wol.v;;;u:fw'he;';::n'ea::f;n  ,he  partof  inlldelsand  a.he- 

s^rt^T:::aTzr;h;n;r;\;;:yw!::v,'f^l"u^ 

lntui^,(i u  IK    1      ,  ,  bv  mon    wlio  on    the  surlacc,    tor- 

uiulormined  in  that  stealtlij  \\a>,    u:^  "11.11,  n,,.  Un.:i  uif<M-- 

«npp  of  the  heart  the  mouth  s])eaketh,  (Matt.  1^  .'H). 

It  ^obvious,  so  I  think,  at  least,  that  the  had  are,  under  the  name 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


157. 


\ 


t  1  \ 


of  science  tryin,;  to  get  control  of  the  minds  of  the  youth  and  of  the 
c InU  r"n  by  poisoniiig  the  school  books.  In  the  name  of  science  U,ey 
think  to  fool  the  state  and  the  church  both.     And  make  them  both 

''"^,!;,;'K'^r:atTed"orknowin,  what  is  taught  in  our  schools. 
Sta  e  educatio,;  has  its  good,  and  also  its  bad  f-t.tres  There  .s  dan 
<rer  in  it  to  societv,  and  unfairness  to  the  people  at  large,  ^eve^  was 
the  need  of  denominational  schools,  of  all  grades,  so  V^^^^^^^J^^ 
They  are  the  counteracting  forces  against  the  evils  from  »he  source 
of  errors  I  have  been  speaking  of.     Our  country  can  scarceh   stand 

'"perhapsThy  some  will  patronize  scienti.ic-so-called-intidelity  ' 
and  Ssm   i's  because  thoy^  are  afraid    in  -rtain  circles      hey  w  I 

not,  be  pronounced  learned,  it  they  don't     .^^^.'^  «';'«"'  «^tsit.  is 
no  learning  at  all ;  it  is  no  science.     ISothmg  is  science,  unless 

^"'X':;ltd^;':^-t.rying  to   corrupt  aU  ->----%•;«  ^Iw- 

their  principles,  and  to  get  all  the  P»t™"''-''-,\^>7'^^'\",„  ,'°'",,f  e^ery 
ernments-  and  at  the  same  time  to  weaken  by  taxation,  -i"'    *^^«"> 

■^    followers  shall  ascend  by  Him.     And  be  with  Him. 

their  undertakmg.     So   ^hen  Uie  ^'7^;;^';,       ,1,      ^    i,^.  the  harder. 

kind  of  wrong  actions ;  or  wicked  words  cither    J»ow ,  to  il 
from  any  ot  these  evils  will  be  an  uncertain  affair. 

TheseU  some  ot  t'.ei-f;'-;!;'^.-/';-^^^:  ■-  -'^ 
ation  of  any  '"""^--f  ».b<''^,  "*'"  ,'^'o7,^ean  w  at  is  meant  in  com- 
will  say  this  i^>-«'^«"^-^^7„*'^^i",fHTgh;r  Critics  would  consider 
mon  language  by  recent,  '>"\,''V,         l^u"^'    i,.  ion<'  periods  of  lime 
exceedingly  ancient.     And  all  those  tabiouMlon„  per  .^^^^^^^^ 

they  claim  that  the  earth  has  P";*;;"':^'  "  !""^^\,tefr  s  ow  process  of 
any  proof  in  nature;  and  change  in  species   mteir  . 

evoUUionary  system  for  all  "^  "V-.^^t '1  fe.^  '5^«"  "'"^  ""  *"■*"'■ 


1 


158. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


here  they  stand  on  -round  they  protest  against;  for  they  all  believe 
in  fate.     They  are  really  superstitious,  therefore. 

Thus  under  the  pretence  of  teachin-  science  ;  in  the  name  of  science 
thev  try  to  destroy  the  foundations  of  human  happiness,  and  put  all 
govLnment  in  jeopardy.  They  do  it  in  teaching  ^^^"-1  ^isto^^^^ 
comparative  anatomy,  zoology,  biologyjmd  geology;  in  ^^J^  ^^"^^^^^^^^ 
systlm  of  evolution  tliey  are  trying  to  run  through  all  t  ^e^%^;^"^^\^^ 
of  science,  in  order  to  raise  up  a  generation  of  atheists.  Even  t.he 
ancient  celestial  science— astronomy— is  being  polluted  b>  thur 
so-called  evolutionary  system.  . 

Now  all  these  things  are  to  be  taught  in  our  common  s^*^^^/>l^'  /^"^^ 
all  schools,  under  state  control ;  and  school  books  fixed  up  by  tne^ir 
agents  with  all  these  errors  in  tiiem,  wlietiier  the  peop  e  want  it  so 
or  not;  and  they  aim  for  us  all  to  be  taxed  to  pay  for  it.  They  th  nk 
the  state  officials  will  not  pay  any  attention  to  these  things  that 
thev  will  adopt  the  books  called  -up  to  date,"  and  rule  out  all  others  , 
and  then,  they  will  have  it  all  their  own  way.  In  this  sly  way  tliey 
think  thev  will  succeed  in  their  evil  design. 

There  ought  to  be  a  revisal  of  all  the  books  on  these  branches  ot 
learning,  and  all  the  errors  purged  out  of  them.  And  none  allowed 
to  be  used  in  school  except  those  that  are  entirely  free  from  every- 
thing that  is  hypothetical ;  and  nothing  to  be  taught  in  any  state 
school  but  what  is  known  to  be  true. 

It  would  be  far  better  to  teach  only  that  which  is  true,  practical 
and  useful  to  the  learner  in  life.  One  of  the  faults  of  the  present 
•system  of  teaching,  both  in  America  and  in  Europe,  is  that  they 
crowd  too  many  studies  upon  the  pupils.  The  result  is  they  only  get 
confused  ideas  of  them  all  and  accurate  knowledge  of  none.  The 
people  are  tired  of  it,  too.  They  want  a  reform.  They  think  this 
crowding  is  all  in  the  pecuniary  interest  of  those  who  teach.  Let  any 
man  look  at,  and  think  of  the  many  things  embraced  in  the  curricula 
of  the  institutions  of  learning  today,  and  it  will  not  appear  at  all  rea- 
sonable for  the  pupils  to  become  sufficiently  w^ell  acquainted  with 
them — in  the  time  allowed — so  as  to  make  any  practical  use  of  them 
all.  Hnrw  much  more  unreasonable,  then,  to  be  w^asting  time  study- 
ing that  which  is  only  conjectural.  Which  never  can  be  proven  to  be 
true ;  and  N^ould  be  of  no  use  to  them  if  it  could. 

After  their  school  days  are  over,  if  they  want  to  study  speculative 
science,   or  speculative   philosophy,   let   them   do   so  at   their   owm 
expense ;  but  it  is  not  just  to  take  the  people's  money  to  pay  for 
such  as  that.     They  cannot  fairly  be  included  in  education  anyway. 
For  nothing  is  education  that  cannot  be  put  to  a  practical  use.     All, 
therefore,  that  is  hypothetical,  or  conjectural,  in  any  book  on  science 
or  philosophy,  is  not  any  part  of  education  ;  and  could  not  be  allowed 
in  any  3tate  school  if  the  laws  of  education  were  appealed  to,  to  keep 
them  out.     The  proper  thing  to  do  is  to  have  all  the  text-books — for 
all  public  schools,  of  all  grades,  belonging  to  the  state — on  the  differ- 
ent branches  of  science  and  philosophy,  revised  by  competent  com- 
mittees,   with    instructions  to   leave  out    everything    which    is   not 
demonstrably  true. 

In  some  of  the  late  encyclopaedias  there  seems  to  be  a  bias  in   the 


jd-^  (&^'  p-^H-y  /^ 


4 


I 


t 


/ 


V 


^  I  ^ 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


159. 


editors  in  favor  of  all  the  false  theories  I  have  mentioned  in  regard  to 
man's  place  in  nature,  and  the  collaterals,  they  use  as  a  pretext  to 
bring  out  their  main  point!;  which  is  this,  as  they  say,  Darwin  de- 
clined to  publish  all  his  conclusions  for  fear  it  would  raise  too  much 
opposition;  but  that  Huxley  stated  the  ultimate  outcoipe  of  the 
Darwiniau  theory,  which  they  say  is  this,  "the  descent  of  man  from 
the  apes."  I  have  believed  all  the  while  that  it  was  a  wicke^d  inven- 
tion gotten  up  among  tbem  for  the  purpose  of  teaching  that  wicked 
thing.  I  do  not  mean  to  be  severe ;  I  know  I  do  not  feel  that  way. 
But  as  one  that  loves  the  whole  of  humankind,  I  would  do  them 
good.  Nor  have  I  anything  to  say  against  philosophy,  or  science 
either;  they  are  two  things  I  love  and  enjoy,  and  am  thankful  for  a  1 
the  help  they  have  been  to  mankind.  I  only  mean  those  things  which 

falsely  bear  those  names.  4.u  4.  i  ^  ;a  oUn 

As  to  man's  place  in  nature,  the  Bible  teaches  us  that  he  is  alto- 
gether, outwardly,  inwardly,  mentally  and  morally,  spiritua  1> 
included,  an  independent  species.  That  he  is  one  species,  and  rrnture 
bears  witness  to  it  everywhere.  So  does  reason  common  sense  and 
daily  observation.  The  Scripture  teaches  that  the  ^^^.^^J^i^^^^.^l  "^ 
by  nature  above  all  the  rest;  and  all  on  earth  made  under  douu"^^'^ 
to  him,  and  are  his  subjects.  We  see  evidently  not  only  from  the 
Bible,  but  from  experience,  that  they  are  all  to  serve  us.  All  are 
yours.     (1  Cor.  8  :2]-22,  Gen.  9  :28). 

END  OF  PART  TWO. 


im. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 

PART  THREE. 


CHAFfER  I. 

J^>OTH  hi'^tory  and  civilization  are  sustained  in  the  IVilile  in  antiq- 
J  v^"  Thie  was  a  li.ht  shinin,  throu^  l^^V^r^ ^^^l^ 
the  darkness  all  around  it.  That  li^^ht  ^Yas  the  Holy  Bible  AmU'hu^^ 
was  in  it,  -the  li-ht  of  the  world.''  Let  men  admit  this ;  then  their 
troubles,  of  this  nature,  vanish.  .,., 

Christopher  Wm.  Kosh,  in  his  Freneh  History,  pa-es  ,^2  and  ..5, 
adm  s  ha  -the  books  of  Moses  and  of  the  Jews  are  the  only  relia- 
ble INtorv  we  have  from  Creation  on  until  (>;U  years  before  the  birth 
o  Jesils  Christ."  The  Bible  truly  .^uides  us  back  safely  to  the  be.nn- 
nin-  of  mankind,  of  the  world  and  of  time.  Nevertheless,  m  the  face 
of  all  this,  there  are  some  writers  who  speak  of  prehistoric  times,  and 
of  the  dawn  of  civilization.  *  ^„f,,„:fTr 

That  I  suppose,  will  do  for  those  who  never  had  the  opportunity 
to  know  better.  The  well-informed,  however,  know  there  are  in  that 
statement  of  these  writers,  either  two  willful  errors  set  forth,  or  Uvo 
innocent  mistakes  made.  It  is  at  least  a  very  humihatino:  acknowi- 
ed<'ement  of  i^rnorance  of  antiquity  for  learnino:  to  have  to  make. 

Witii  the  help  of  the  Bible,  we  trace  human  history  and  civiliza- 
tion throu-h  all  the  aires,  clear  back  to  Creation's  be{?inninK.  It  is 
true'  pure  "and  -ood ;  -ives  us  a  wealth  of  knowledge  nowhere  else 
obtained.     It  is  indeed  an  invaluable  legacy  of  true  learnin«:c.     , 

The  world  beg:an  in  civilization;  of  course  the  Almi<rlity  is  not 
responsible  for  anythinir  to  the  contrary.  The  man  and  the  woman 
He  created  were  not  like  the  fictitious  man  of  the  evolutionists— a 
nava-e— and  had  to  remain  so  for  indefinite  centuries  before  he  could 
invent  any  civilization,    byt  were  created   and   made  in  a  civilized 

^tate.  _  ,      ,       T.  /.     II 

There  is  the  be<?inninj?  of  history.  The  Creator  kept  a  diary  of  all 
the  proceedintrs  in  this  world  until  man  was  prepared  to  write  his  own 
history  Frow  the  first  Sabbath  on,  man  has  been  able  to  keep  his 
own  history.  By  the  h(^lp  of  the  Lord  he  did  it  well.  The  Creator, 
doubtless,  Viive  to  Adam  all  the  proceedino:s  wlien  He  had  sulTiciently 
prepared  him  to  carry  it  forward,  under  the  help  He  attordcd  him, 
and  his  descendants  after  him.  Nor  is  it  at  all  reasonable  to  suppose 
that  He  would  suffer  His  first  earthly  heir  to  live  9550  years  without 
teaching  him  to  write  the  events  of  his  own  life.  It  had  to  come 
from  the  Lord,  "the  lij^ht  of  the  world,''  aiul  the  stroni^-est  supposi- 
tion is,  that  He  would  teach  it  to  him  at  his  earliest  need.  Neither 
is  it  at  all  probable  that  such  a  man  as  the  Bible  teaches  us  that 
Adam  was,  could  have  lived  so  lon.tc  as  he  did  without  discoveruiir 
some  method  of  writinj^. 

It  is  evident  that  they  did,  in  some  way,  preserve  the  facts  recor- 
ded in  the  Bible.  Every  useful. art,  every  useful  craft,  every  useful 
invention,  every  useful  contrivance,  is  of  the  Lord,  who  teaches  man 
wisdom.       There   is   a   spirit    in    man    and   the    inspiration   of   the 


I 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


101. 


i 


/v 


i 


r 

V 


^ 


Almis^hty  ofiveth  him  understandin<^,  (Job.  o2:8).  The  farmer  under- 
stands all  these  thin<2^s,  for  his  God  doth  teach  liim  discretion,  (Is.  28  : 
26).  "It  is  He  that  j^iveth  thee  power  to  ^'et  wealth,"'  (Deut.  8:18). 
These  very  writers  speak  of  an  iron  age  as  evidence  of  a  high  state  of 
civiliza*tion. 

Now,  as  they  would  say,  in  a  short  period  of  time  after  man  came 
upon  the  earth,  there  was  a  high  state  of  civilization.  At  the  most, 
perhaps,  not  more  than  four  hundred  years  after  the  creation  of  man, 
((xen.  4:22).  They  then  used  brass  and  iron.  Made  tools  of  them. 
Sharpened  and  whetted  tools  made  of  these  metals.  Studied,  taught 
and  practiced  artifices  in  these  metals.  Made  harps  and  organs  of 
them.  According  to  the  writers  referred  to  above,  they  were  then  in  a 
hi"h  state  of  civilization.  And  the  history  of  that  civilization  is 
written  in  the  Bible. 

The  religious  vein  of  it  is  well  represented  in  such  great  names  as 
Seth,  Enos,  Enoch  and  Noah. 

The  fact  that  the  last  generation  before  the  flood  was  wicked, 
except  Noah  and  his  family,  is  no  more  i^roof  again :it  their  civiliza- 
tion than  is  the  wickedness  of  these  times  against  our  civilization. 
You  may  ask  then,  why  did  (rod  punish  them,  and  why  does  He  not 
now  destroy  us?  You  will  notice,  if  you  study  the  Bible,  that  He 
visited  the'head  sin  in  all  lines  with  signal  punishments  as  warning 
to  all  who  might  come  after.  See  what  suti'erings  He  entailed  upon 
Adam  and  Eve.  They  and  their  own  children  were  punished  greatly, 
and  all  that  have  ever  been  born  of  them  through  their  descendants 
have,  and  do  sutler  from  it.  No  other  sin  ever  had  such  universal 
penalties  indicted  for  it.  See  how  severely  He  punished  Cain  for  his 
sin,  the  first  murder.  His  whole  family  suffered  for  it  a  long  while. 
See  how  much  He  punished  Noah  and  his  family  for  his  drunkenness. 
The  first  case  of  that  sin  on  record.  See  how  He  punished  ILim  and 
Canaan  in  themselves  and  tlieir  posterities.  The  first  on  record  of 
irreverence  to  parents  and  grandparents.  See  liow  He  punished  the 
Sodomites  for  sinning  against  personal  virtue.  The  first  sinners  of 
that  kind  on  record.  And  the  antediluvians  for  violating  the  laws  of 
marriage.  While  these  first  guilty  of  these  sins  are  thus  signally 
punished,  it  serves  a  good  ])urpose  of  warning  and  of  restraining 
others  from  all  kinds  of  sin.  and  for  all  time  to  come. 

With  all  the  warnings  and  all  other  helps  they  have,  if  they  persist 
in  wron<r  doin<T,  His  decree  is,  in  that  purely  spiritual  world,  to  which 
we  shalfall  -m,  thev  shall  be  deprived  of  all  the  rights  and  privileges 
of  citizenship,  and  banished  beyond  all  human  enjoyment— fixed  m 
outer  darkness,  or  the  bottomless  pit,  or  the  lake  of  (ire,  as  the  sen- 
tence in  each  case  may  be,  as  delivered  by  the  righteous  Judge. 
They  will  each  be  sent  to  the  most  fit  place  in  that  world  for  which 
thev  have  indiscreetly  prepared  themselves. 

It  does  not  follow,  liowever,  that  He  refrains  now  from  punishing 
sinners  in  this  lifetime.  He  yet  punishes  sinners  in  this  ^vorld,  but 
He  does  not  make  such  signal  displays  of  it  as  He  did  m  the  first 
oases  yet  it  is  a  standing  fact  that  all  our  suffering  can  be  traced 
back  to  sin  somewhere  lying  at  the  door.     If  not  your  own  sin,  it  is 


1,52.  THE  STOKY  OF  CRKATION. 

done  son,ewlH.re  about  you.     Sin   is  dangerous.     We  sl.ould  do  all 

-':^::u::'Z::^l^e.:::f>S^^i  ho  .oujd  never  a.ain  destroy 
th'e  ho  e  world  b.v  a  Hood  of  water.  But  not  that  He  wouU^ ot  b^^^ 
a  Hood  of  fire,  for  so  it  is  to  be.  Wlien  they  sinned  at  Babel  He  pu 
tIea\uL  in  a  different  way.  When  Adam  ,-;";-l  -^j  ;-;;^  ,^?  'Zy 
«pU-  -ind  -ill  the  world.  When  men  sinned  before  the  "[>«^f/  J'^.\ 
rroa^hfd's'truction  upon  then.se.ves;  '^'^ -he,,  they  s  nn.  ai  BaW 
thev  brou<^ht  US  all   to   -rent    inconvenience,  much   haul   ^tua^    ana 

be -i -ood  scholar  and  know  but  one  lan<?ua-e,  and  that  the  one  he 
learne^iw^^^  Both  the  Bible  and  the  l^iman   race  tell 

;^t  .tory  of  Babel  in  all  the  world  today     For  --^-^y^^l^^^^ 
but  in  every  division  of  the  race  it  is  indelibly  written     (ren.  U.J  •>  • 

There  was  no  such  thinj,  as  sava<,ejife  in  the  antecliluvmn  v^^r 
nor  in  the  post-diluvian  until  about  oW  years  ^  .^^^V^^^^,f^^^  l',  ^.^^^^^^^ 
and  all  his  posterity  continued  in  a  state  of  civilization  until  theda>s 
oriMmrod.  'He  waJthe  tirst  to  break  over  the  established  order  He 
tau-bt  first  rebellion  in  reli-ion,  then  in  civil  atfairs  ^ext  he  led 
them  into  idolatry,  then  some  time  after  that  many  of  them  went  into 

''  They!  xl m^^^^^^  them  a  tower  to  protect  themselves 

a<'ainst  another  Hood  if  it  should  come.  This  was  throwing  away 
fjrith  in  Providence.  For  the  Lord  had  covenanted  with  ma^ki";^' 
and  even  with  beasts,  all  flesh,  voluntarily  on  His  own  part,  that  the 
world  should  never  a-ain  be  destroyed  by  a  flood  of  water.     (Wen. 

'  This  act  of  theirs  was  very  provokinj]^  in  the  sig^ht  of  the  Lord, 
therefore  He  there  confounded  their  language.  Split  up  the  race 
into  natioiuilities;  scattered  them  abroad  over  the  whole  earth.  Jn 
the  lapse  of  time  manv  of  them  went  intg  idolatry,  then  into  barba- 
rism. Idolatry,  or  devilism,  is  the  fruitful  source  of  all  savage  life  in 
mankind ;  and  of  all  forms  of  superstition,  as  fate  and  luck. 

Adam  nor  Noah  did  not  think  there  was  anything  unlucky  about 
Friday.     Nor  that  it  was  unlucky  to  begin  a  job  on  Saturday  unless 
you  finish  it  on  that  dav.     Adam  and  Eve  knew  that  it  was  the  day 
of  the  week  they  were  created,  that  it  gave  them  existence.     Neither 
did  they  fear  bad  luck  if  a  rabbit  did  cross  their  path  ahead  of  them. 
Nor  if  a  screech-owl  did  sing  his  unwelcome  notes  near  their  houses. 
Nor  if  any  of  the  family  did  take  up  the  ashes  from   the  fireplace 
either  on  the  first  or  last  day  of  the  year.     They  feared  no  such 
things.     They  believed  in  God's  providence.     Never  thought  about- 
any  of  the  numerous  superstitions  that  have  since  prevailed.     They 
all  came  from  heathenism   and   Satan,  and   never  afflicted   mankind 
until  some  five  centuries  after  the  flood.     All  of  these  with  fate  and 
luck  are  relics  of  idolatry.     People  should   believe  in   providence,  so 
express  themselves,  and  let  all  these  notions  die  out  of  society. 

Cain  built  a  city,  ((ren.  4  :1T).  This  is  the  first  city  w^e  read  of.  It 
is  said  from  the  first  that  (lain  was  a  tiller  of  the  soil.  That  implies 
a  settled  life.     So  does  a  city. 

Nature,  so  to  speak,  or  rather  providence,  suggested  to  them   how 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


ir4. 


y 


t 


i 


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'  1  \ 


to  provide  for  their  needs.  Those  who  grazed  cattle  and  sheep  built, 
tents.  Their  business  would  naturally  suggest  that  kind  of  protec- 
tion for  them.  Material  want,  or  finances,  quite  from  the  beginning 
caused  men  to  think  and  to  learn  how  to  economize  their  means — fit 
them  to  conditions. 

It  would  not  pay  the  tenders  of  cattle  and  sheep  to  build   houses. 
Jabal  was  the  inventor  of  tents,     (den.  -1:20). 

It  is  evident  that  the  rest  lived  in  houses,  or  it  would  not  have 
been  specified  that  those  who  tended  cattle  and  sheep  dwelt  in  tents. 
It  shows  that  houses  were  built  before  tents  were  invented!.  Abraham, 
Isaac,  and  Jacob  and  the  sons  of  Israel  dwelt  in  tents,  for  their  busi- 
ness was  about  cattle  and  sheep.  (Gen.  4()::V2-:it).  Neither  have 
modern  herdsmen  and  shepherds  any  better  contrivance  unto  this 
day.  Those  were  naturally  as  inventive  as -are  these  at  this  day. 
They  had  by  nature  as  great  brain  capacity  as  these  have  now.  In 
our  own  country  farmers  had  at  first  stationary  machinery  in  houses 
for  threshing  grain  ;  by  and  by  it  was  suggested  by  pecuniary  inter- 
est to  have  traveling  threshes,  then  they  took  the  field  for  threshing. 
So  from  the  days  of  Jabal,  the  shepherd  learned  to  construct  his 
movable  tent.  All  the  Israelites  in  the  wilderness,  en  route  for  the 
land  of  Canaan,  dwelt  in  movable  tents,  worshipped  in  a  movable  tent 
— the  tabernacle — but  settled  in  Canaan,  the  most  of  them  dwelt  in 
liouses,  worshipped  in  the  temple  and  synagogues.  Adam  and  his 
descendants  that  were  tillers  of  the  soil,  doubtless,  from  the  state- 
ment above,  dwelt  in  houses.  And  this  first  city,  no  doubt,  was 
built  of  houses. 

It  was  naturally  suggested  to  them  as  a  protection  against  fero- 
cious beasts  and  human  foes,  too,  if  they  should  have  any;  and  as  a 
convenience  to  each  other  in  time  of  sickness,  and  of  heavy  work, 
and  other  needs  that  should  arise,  and  for  society,  trade,  literature, 
the  study  of  the  arts,  and  of  worship.  ^Miisic  and  the  mechanical 
arts  flourished  among  them.  (Gen.  4  :21-22).  Naamah,  it  seems,  was  a 
female  artist  and  leader  in  the  ladies  department. 

The  city  gave  them  many  advantages  even  in  those  days.  Some  of 
them,  too,  as  their  successors  have  since  done,  used  them  for  evil. 
The  ladies  of  this  first  of  cities,  being  mostly  indoors,  improved  their 
complexions  above  the  daughters  of  the  shepherds,  who  lived  in  tents 
and  often  had  to  water  the  flocks;  and  when  the  sons  of  the  shep- 
herds herdsmen  and  brawny  farmers  saw  them,  they  thought  they 
were  Superior  to  those  in  their  country,  and  fell  in  love  with  them. 
And  although  it  was  against  the  rule  for  them  to  marry  into  Cam  s 
tribe,  they  married  them  anyhow,  (Gen.  0:2).  The  breaking  over 
the  rule  caused  much  trouble ;  the  fifth  verse  shows  it. 

This  city  was  improved  constantly  by  the  use  of  tools  made  of  iron 
and  brass,  ((ien.  4:22).  They  had  no  stone  age.  They  had  iron  and 
brass,  and  tools  of  either  as  they  chose  to  make  out  ot  these  metals. 
The  Almio-hty  having  instructed  mankind  from  the  beginning  to  do 
everything  as  they  had  need.  They  had,  too,  harps  and  organs;  and 
-  any  evidence  that  they  were  inferior  instruments  of  music  is  not 
found.     No  doubt  they  were  partly  wooden  and  partly  melallic. 

This  St- te  of  civilization  continued   until   the  Hood.     Noah   could 


^^^  THE  STOKY  OF  CREATION. 

not  havo  built  the  a.,  without  ;t,  .nd  t..; t^oa.^jt  f;— ;',;^ J^  r 
a  pro.lu.-t  of  civilization.  ^.It^'""  '  "'^i^lt^'  the  prcsu.nption  that  ho 
tallie  tool..  The  instructions  P  ',^'^  /'P"*^^^^^^^^^^^  plumbiufr.  lovelins 
U-M  the  no.es.^yy  U.<A.^<^ih^  '  '  '«  'i?  as^^ces-sary  for  him  to 
and  measuru.s.  And  '*.  ^^''"  ''Z'^^;"  "  ,.ef,,i.ence  in  his  work.  He 
write  down  the  instructions  for  ff '1"^?*, '.T '^",„,|,,t,ions.  It  would 
must  have  been  able  to  read,  ^;' >•■.  ^1^^^  "  ;'t^,'rr  And  its  success  on 
reouire  <'ood  worknmnship  to  build  such  a  <'Y' ,  ■„/ 
^^t\"  nderful  voyage  shows  that  't  was  wel   done  , 

This  state  of  <-ivili.ation  was  ^'f 'P'\"  .^\  "\';'.,,  i  ke  the  first,  be-an 
the  ,reat_ '"-'p-'/V^rrr'^.'i'i't  -  de^l  o7  salvation,  an.l 
with  faith  m  the  (rod  ot  t^reanoi.,  ui   pi  ^^.^i,,..^  the  best  typo 

u«;d'^u!?;U  <•  toolssa.ne'and  n'.oHar  in  "house  buildin..  and  now 
i^urnt  Ir  ck  with  s  i.ne  tor -enient ;  could  raise  massive  ^yalls;  they 
s'onatcbun  the  cities  of  Krech,  .Vccad.  (ialneh.  ,n  the  latid  f 
iMnar:   xrneveii,  Rehoboth,  (!alai>    and   Reson   >n  Assyria,     ruen. 

'"This  civilization  in  ,t,e  days.,t  Me-chizedek  l>»i>f' S'^'^"';,  «;^f"™.";;'^ 
other  cities  in  the  west.  The  same  civilization  was  ""•'•;«  /"''\^"\'^. 

K.n-pt.  where  it  flourished   happily  V"-'"'f'l,."";,::!l-"'B  Ult    houset 
raohs      In  all  those  limes  they  used   metallic  tools.     «»'"    '"^^;' 

nd  walls,  and  monuments,  of  stone  and  common  '"'''•t"'[:."7,  .,'^"f',^ 
ilk  and  slime.     No  stone  age  up  to  those  t"-"^-    "^  ;'"'^;;  ;   '^^u^ 
yet  become  .so  darkened  by  idolatry  anywhere  as  to  go  into  a  .tone 
nttf      Primitive  customs  yet  prevailed.  

"in  (ie  12  •  ir..  we  read  ..f  I'har.aoh's  house.  It  is  evident  rom  (ren 
19  1-12  thu  Sodom  was  a  city  ot  streets  and  houses  Lot,  ><«  3"a.^'^ 
dwelt  in  a  house  that  had  doors  and  fastened  shutters.  Phat  city 
had  'a  es  of  cour  e  walls,  too.  In  (k-n.  *M-l(i,  we  see  that  those 
tile  had  a  city  with  gates.  In  that  city  the  Easiness  ohe^iner- 
chant  was  then  well  established  ;  they  used  silver.  W  hether  1(.  to  1 
or  not,  it  was  current,  by  established  weight,  in  exchange,  in  buying 
and  sell  in.'  Thev  also  conveyed  titles  to  property  lor  permanent 
poL8sion':'that  descended  to  a  man's  heirs  indefinitely.  Surely  hero 
are  footprints  of  a  good  degree  of  civilization. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


Hi."). 


} 


k 


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k 


A 


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i 


And  in  Gen.  24:29-86,  is  shown  that  in  that  old  eastern  country 
whence  Abraham  came,  the  the  people  lived  in  houses;  had  houses, 
too,  for  their  animals.  Silver  and  gold  in  currency,  as  well  as  in 
ornaments,  were  used.  Men  holding  permanent  wealth  and  convey- 
insr  it  to  their  heirs  after  them,  as  in  the  west.  In  both  they  bought, 
sold  and  subscribed  evidence  of  permanent  titles. 

Gen.  26,  shows  that  the  Philistines,  like  the  F:gyptians,  were  a 
settled  people,  carrying  on  arts  and  commerce,  in  the  days  of  Isaac 
and  of  Abraham.  The  arts  were  cultivated  among  them  unto  the 
times  of  the  prophet  Samuel,  (1  Sam.  18:19-22,)  and  later. 

And  the  Oanaanites  had  lived  a  settled  life  until  Jacob  returned 
from  his  sojourn  in  Syria.  And  on,  and  on,  they  did  until  the  days 
of  Joshua.  When  Joseph  was  carried  into  Egypt,  they  had  then 
houses  and  fields,  (Gen.  89 :;')  and  -IT  :14).  Not  long  after  this  was  it, 
that  Hebrew  labor  was  employed  in  building  the  pyramids,  and  fine 
cities,  and  costly  temples,  as  Pithom  and  Rameses,  (Ex.  1 :11.)  No 
doubt  but  Pithom  was  for  what  they  called  their  sacred  treasures, 
for  Python  was  their  chief— so-called— deity,  (Acts.  16:16,)  Whose 
worship  was  afterward  taught  in  Greece ;  and  Rameses  for  the  king's 

treasures. 

There  is  no  evidence  that  the  Hebrews,  Egyptians,  Pluenicians, 
Assyrians,  Syrians,  Philistines  and  Oanaanites.  ever  had  any  stone 
age.'  They  used,  as  did  the  antediluvians,  all  and  any  of  the  ordinary 
metals  as  they  chose  for  tools  and  instruments  of  music,  and  silver 
and  gold  for  money  and  ornaments.  From  the  earliest  of  times,  all 
along  through  the  ages,  implements  and  weapons  of  war  were  by 
them  made  of  metallic  substances.  Ages  of  stone  are  peculiar  to 
barbarians. 

Those  nations  mentioned  above,  although  like  all  civilized  people, 
had  in  them  much  sin,  were  not  barbarians  at  any  time. 

After  the  time  of  the  Hebrew  prophets,  it  was  said  in  prophecy, 
that  Egypt  should  become  the  basest  of  the  kingdoms.  Pursuant 
thereto  modern  Egypt  has  been  far  behind  ancient  Egypt.  A  fearful 
warnin<^  to  all  who  make  a  misuse  of  the  advantages  of  civilization. 

The  Bible  tells  the  story  of  all  these  civilizations,  and  of  others 
that  followed  them,  and  of  the  terrible  calamities  that  befell  them. 
And  it  says,  -Let  him  that  thinketh  he  standeth  take  heed  lest  he 
fall  '-'  (1  Gor.  10:12).  Those  that  now  are  standing  would  do  well 
to  learn  from  the  past.  They  certainly  are  carrying  a  great  deal  of 
error  and  sin.  Where  is  Tyrus  the  Phoenicians'  Perfection  of  Beauty 
And  where  is  ancient  Jerusalem,  the  Hebrews'  Perfection  of  Reality  ? 
Each  is  the  glorv  of  the  ancient  civilization  of  its  people.  In  their 
lonff  since  ruined  conditions  some  Scripture  prophecies  are  fearfully 
fulfilled  And  likewise  Bible  prophecy  stands  fulfilled  in  the  misera- 
ble conditions  of  the  rest  for  abusing  their  civilizations. 

There  never  was  such  a  thing  as  the  dawn  of  civilization.  The  race 
was  created  in  civilization.  Held  it  for  more  thaii  two  thousand 
years  universally.  The  world  has  never  been  witliout  civilization. 
It  has  never  been  at  any  time  universally  suspended. 

Neither  was  there  a  prehistoric  time.     For  the  Bible  gives  us  a 


jfiP,.  THE  STOTtY  OF  ORKATIOX. 

true  history  from  tho  be.-innin^-  of  the  human   race,  and   from   the^ 

beirinnin<^  of  time.  i\,..n.  when   mankind 

Some  tl.>u^l.  have  written  that  there  was  a   ^-^ ^^  ,^^^\,  ,,,^,,, 

had  no  fan.ilies,  no  marriages,  <:^^^^^''^''^  ^^^^^n^^^^  mar- 

he  was  fatlier  of.     That  education  -ave  them  the  instinni 

^'^h^m:^  '^i^'^io  those  who  do  not  know  any  better,  hut  U^ is 
re^h^^  d   ni^s  for  any  learned  person  to  n.ake  any  suel^^.   sKd^ 

ment.     No  man  knows  of  sueh  a  period  for  a  I  '"^^"^  "^'^  J^j  ^^l  .Jik: 
most  distant  a-es  known  to  history,  men  and  women   ^^ff    f^^^"^'> 
married  to  one'^another.  lived  in  families,  and  worslup^^^^^  ^^    I'ly^rths 
Nor  do  the  re<.ords  in  the  Bible  show    or  '•^'^•^/'.^"J'   "^^  Ci^ceu- 
bv  ille,dtimnc.y.     Nor  was  the  news  of  the  world  ''^^  '^ht  h>^  s^^ 
turie.  burdened  with  but  one  act  of  murder;  that  of  ri-htu.us  AOei. 

^^henf<:^>n;::nturies  after  the  Hood  no   ..ch   e^Mls  as   idc^airy 
sava<,^eisnK    bastardy,   lecliery,   murders,   suic-u les,   ^\f\l'^.  '''^' 
hPrv    nor  war  is  on  record.     Surely  it  was  another  golden  a^-e. 
'''I';   ;>   mlrda^e,  it  would  be  difficult    to  find   today   ^nywhe..  on 
earth  a  tribe  of  people  without  it  and  the  fannly.        have  ''^ad  ma   y 
ac<.ounts  of  travelers  in  quite  all  parts  of  the  world    m  ^^^^ 
modern  times,  and  none  of  them  ever  mention  a  people  without  mai 

'''n''irJr,.e're^aiIi^isso(.iati(>ns  within  a  civilized  natmn  deny  them- 
selves the  happiness  of  nuirria-e  and  the  family.  J^^^^^f^^  %' ;^^^^^ 
founded  on  sonu^  peculiar  idea  from  some  erroneous  education  I  here 
i.s  no  account,  that  I  know  of,  of  uncivilized  man  denying  himse.l 
this  natural  source  of  happiness. 

There  are  Christian  parents  today  Indirectly  teaching  their  chil- 
dren awav  from  (^od  bv  instilling  evolutionary  ideas  into  their  minds 
<)  the  pitv  of  it!  The  pitv  that  they  do  not  see  tlie  weakness  and 
the  foliv  of  it.  Those  that  are  so  taught  may  become  so  imbeciled 
in  thou'^dit  that  it  will  take  miracles  in  gross  material  things  to  con- 
vinee  them  of  Christian  truth.  ''(>  for  some  gift  divine,  that  they 
may  see  that  danger  and  escape  it,  tool 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATTOX. 


ir)7 


CHAPTER  11. 

Thk  confounding  the  lanjruage  and  dividing  mankind  into  different 
races,  and  subdivision  of  the  races,  into  nationalities,  made,  for  the 
time  being,  against  the  progress  of  religion.  But  tlie  Lord  foresaw 
under  the'^circumstances  then  setting  in  that  it  would  be  better  to 
risk  it  than  thiMii  as  they  were. 

Here  is  the  l)eginning  of  the  five  races  of  men,  out  of  the  one  orig- 
inal race,  of  whicli  they  are  so  many  branclies,  and  the  beginning  of 
languages  except  the  one  original.  This  was  the  beginning  of 
nations  also. 

Before  this  there  was  but  one  language,  but  one  complexion,  and 
but  one  form  of  worship  among  men. 

The  original  complexion  of  mankind,  the  original  speech,  and  the 
orif'nal  form  of  worshiT).  were  left  to  Shem   and   his  descendants,  for 


V 


< 


ih 


i 


f 


^ 


the  purpose  of  preserving  these  precious  things,  with  all  revealed 
truth,  intact  until  the  fullness  of  time  should  come.  Xud  through 
them  the  history  of  the  past,  and  of  all  these  things,  too,  were  pre- 
served ;  for  the 'future  good  of  all  the  human  family,  and  the  original 
civilization  continued  unbroken.  So  we  have  no  dawn  of  civilization, 
nor  prehistoric  time.  Thank  the  Lord  we  are  better  informed  than 
to  have  to  make  any  such    humiliating  confessions   of   ignorance  of 

antiquity,  , 

By  and  by  the  tribe  of  Shem   became  dilferent    nations,  and   tlie 
Shemitic  language  underwent  changes  to  suit  them  in  their  national-     Ay^ 
ities,  as  the  Hebrew,  the  Arimanic,  Phoenician  and  Canaanitish  ;  andyr      ^ 
later,  when  the  Lord  foresaw?  in  order  to   preserve   the   true  religion,,      ^t 
and  the  original  civilization  in   the  world,  it   would    be   necessary   to  r 
have  a  peculiar  people,  He  chose   "Abram,   the  Hebrew,'     for  this 
special  work.   Kept  him  separate  to  himself,  discipled  him,  sustained 
his  posterity  by  His  providence  and  restrained   them   by  covenant 
limits. 

In  the  days  of  "Moses,  His  servant,"  He  chose  the  seed  of  Abra- 
ham, through  Isaac  and  Jacob,  for  His  peculiar  nation,  and  preserved 
them,  -all  the  davs  of  old,"  for  this  purpose.  To  conserve  the  true 
religion  mankind  had  had  from  the  beginning,  and  Adamic  and 
Xoahic  civilization  until  the  promises  made  to  Abrahanri  were  ful- 
filled in  Christ  Jesus,  Cod's  Anointed.  Then  it  was  for  Christianity 
to  conserve  that  true  religion,  and  that  original  ^'ivil.zation  in  the 
world.  And  she  has  done  it.  She  is  the  foster  mother  ol  civilization 
as  she  has  ever  been  of  education. 

The  Hebrews  were  never  in  a  savage  state.  \\'hen  they  wont  into 
E-ypt  they  were  civilized.  The  Egyptians,  too,  were  then  a  civilized 
pecfple.  Having  been  taught,  also,  as  Josephus  says  nia  hematics 
by  the  great  patriarch  Abraham,  and  astronomy,  too,  by  that  great 
Hebrew.  And  they  learned  much  by  the  wise  and  p.ous  Joseph  So 
Moses^  learning  was  Hebraic  as  well  as  hgypt.an.  ^^^J^:^}^' 
Israelites  lose  their  civilization  during  their  slavery  in  hg>pt.  tlie> 
IveTneverina  barbarous  state.  Their  conduct  in  the  wilderness, 
'while  it  was  not  altogether  religi<uis.  was  free  altogether  from  any 
principles  of  Siivatre  life. 

Tlie  chief  weapon  of  war  anion-  ti.e  Ejjyplians  was  the  sword  (hx.  , 
]5  9)  The  firs'  n.ililary  engagement  the  Hehre«-s  ha.l  was  with  l.e 
Amalel<ites  and  tl.ey  slew  then,  with  the  ed-e  ol  the  swonl  (Kx. 
17  13)  We  are  not  Inforn.ed  as  to  how  they  got  swonls  W  hen  the 
F;vnians,n,t  tired  of  then,  they  helped  Ih.Tn  off,  and  „,ay  have 
S^^'h:n,:swordsthe,,;o..heyn.a^^ 

:  at  .tra^hunuJ-TpTnt;  [:s  al^^;.- co^ll  he,  hoth  in  the  time.-f 
Mosls  and  under  Joshua,  and  always  thereafter  on  c,v,l,/.ed  methods. 


in  all  of  their  wars, 


lOS. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 

U.  poetry,  in  history,  in  oratory,  in  social  life,  in  the  fine  arts,  and  in 

'-'^Za^n,  their  history  onern^^^^n.^^^ 

,.  war,  but  not  n.ore  so  than  ^^^^^' ^{Z^  ^l^o  dates  he 
last  six  hundred  years.  But  if  \^^ Jf  "f^  .^  ^han  of  war.  So,  I 
will  ^ee  there  were  many  more  years  of  P^^^^f  .;';7'         .      -^ 

Tnay  add,  in  human  life  are  many  -^^^^^^l^^  U  e'^'.rcass. 
Historians  are  -^^mewlua    like  vultures     th^^^^         to  ^^^^.^^^ 

That  n.akes  the  bi-est  bulk  of  the  ^^^^^^^^^^s  loif^;  on  the  battle- 
or^bjoJ^ih Snvity.^  ^^ij^^i^r  ^^T:i:^d^^ 

[he  (      isT  was  with  them  in  humanity,  they  were  in  a  highly  cimI- 
zed  .tate  •  and  the  Romans  were  at  their  best  estate  also. 

Wherev;;  I  e  apostles  went  in  all   their  ministry,  they  found  the 
Jew  a  "wUzed  min.  Since  they  lost  nationality  they  --e  "eve.  ^^^^^^^^ 
into  a  barbarous  state,  nor  departed  from  Moses  and  ^^^^  P[;P^^^^^^^^ 
Neither  did  they,  after  returning  from  the  f  «^V^^"J  ^.^^^^^^^^^^^ 
a-ain  -o  into  idolatry.  That  captivity  cured  them  ot  idolatry ,  as  well 

as  of  Sabbath  breaking?.  f^^olvp    trihen 

I  think  it  is  probable  that  some  of  each  of  the  twelve  tiibes 
returned  from  those  captivities  and  made  the  one  government  of  the 
Jew.  from  that  time  on,  until  their  dispersion  in  the  time^  of  the 
apostles  of  Christ,  as  saith  the  prophet :  ''The  envy  also  of  Ephraim 
.hall  depart,  and  the  adversaries  of  ,ludah  shall  be  cut  off  •  ^^phraiin 
^hall  not  envv  Judah,  and  Judah  shall  not  vex  Ephraim.  (Is.  11  .L^). 
Zechariah  refers  to  the  same.  (Ch.  10:5-10).  Of  course  they  may 
have  a  more  remote  reference.  ,     ,      ,    ^  .4^.„^ 

The  Jew  never  was  a  sava-e  man.  Never  had  what  some  writers 
call  "A  stone  age."     He  has  always  had  civilization,  and  his  history 

^A  continuous  line  of  civilization  extends  from  the  beginning  of 
time  to  this  dav.  The  case  is  clearly  made  out.  The  Bible  furnishes 
us  a  reliable  history  of  Creation,  and  of  man  in  his  primitive  state  on 
through  the  ages,  until  the  dispersion  at  the  tower  of  Babel,  then  of 
the  Hebrew  race  through  the  line  of  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob,  until 
A  D  68  with  a  good  deal  of  useful  history  of  those  peoples  with 
whom  the  Hebrew  had  dealings.  Since  that  time  we  have  reliable 
history,  both  religious  and  secular.  So  the  chain  of  history  goes  back 
in'unbroken  links,  to  the  beginning  of  the  world.  No  dawn  of  civili- 
zation;  nojiistoric  time,  only  for  those  who  came  out  of  a  savage 
state,  which  is  not  true  of  all  the  race. 

Those  who  know  the  Scriptures  know  there  never  was  a  time  when 
there  w^ere  no  civilized  people  in  the  world.  It  is  trwe,  however,  that 
in  every  period  there  was  wickedness  too,  but  that  is  no  more  proof 
that  they  were  not  civilized,  than  the  wickedness  in  America  now 
proves  she  is  not  civilized.     Much  of  the  most  atrocious  wickedness 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


169 


I 


( 


( 


ih 


fir 


recorded  in  history  was  done  by  those  who  were  considered  civilized. 

All  saved  in  the  ark  were  civilized,  and  worshippers  of  (xod.  The 
world  then  was  in  a  civilized  state  everywhere ;  continued  so  for  about 
five  centuries.  The  first  specie=?  of  idolatry  began  about  that  time — 
Sabeism — the  worship  of  the  host  of  Heaven.  From  that  they 
descended  low^er  and  lower,  which  led  to  wild  barbarism.  St.  Paul 
describes  it,  (Rom.  1 :20-82).  The  great  missionary,  Y.  J.  Allen,  says 
it ji  true  picture  of  the  Heathen  world  today.  Idolatry  darkens,  as 
the  apostle  saith,  ''their  foolish  heart  was  darkened,"  worshipped  at 
first  nature  along  with  God,  then  by  and  by,  quit  more  and  more  the 
worship  of  (lod,  until  they  descended  to  those  depths  of  degradation 
tliere  set  forth.  He  says,  "professing  themselves  to  be  wise,  they 
became  fools." 

But  (rod  \yas  so  good  that  He  still  gave  them  light  eiiough  to  save 
them  if  they  would  have  accepted  it.  "For  the  invisible  things  of  Him 
from  the  Creation  of  the  world  are  clearly  seen,  being  understood  by 
the  things  that  are  made,  even  His  eternal  power  and  (lodhead ;  so  that 
they  are  without  excuse."  (V.  20.)  Even  the  darkest  heathen  then 
cannot  be  justified  in  his  idolatry  and  other  sins. 

For  since  the  Creation  of  the  world  men  have  understood  by  nature 
and  instinct  the  invisible  things  of  God  from  the  things  He  hath 
made.  In  Job  87  :1S  the  sky  is  compared  to  "a  molten  looking  glass." 
In  Job's  time  they  understood  the  nature  and  power  of  that  kind  of 
mirror.  As  it  reflects  the  features  of  the  beholder,  so  the  otherwise 
unseen  things  of  God  are  clet^rly  seen  in  the  things  He  hath  made. 
A  man's  character  is  revealed  in  what  he  does;  so  (rod  is  revealed  in 
His  works.  You  say  this  is  a  work  of  human  art.  So  it  is  true  that 
all  nature  is  God's  work.  And  as  art,  wherever  found,  shows  the  ex- 
istence of  mankind;  so  nature  declares  the  existence  of  (fod.  So  all 
are  held  accountable  to  God  who  have  the  light  of  nature  to  guide 
them ;  and  are  without  excuse  even  if  they  have  no  more. 

I  think  it  is  evident  from  our  Savior's  teaching,  (Matt.  21 : 28-80) ^ 
that  the  (rentile  world  had  the  first  otter  from  God  after  the  Hood, 
which  is  represented  in  a  general  way  in  that  parable  by  the  elder 
son.  Being  rejected  by  them  it  was  offered  to  the  Hebrews  and  they 
accepted  it.  But  by  and  by,  when  the  majority  of  them  rejected  the 
Gospel  of  Christ,  and  the  Gentiles  generally  accepting  it,  did  His 
will.  While  the  Hebrews,  as  the  younger  son,  did  His  will  they  ex- 
celled all  other  people  in  wisdom,  prosperity  and  happiness.  But  when 
they  refused  to  do  His  will  they  fell  behind  those  wiio  then  went  to 
doing  His  will.  Which  shows  in  both  that  the  real  advancement  of 
any  people  depends  upon  doing  His  will.  Nor  is  His  will  ever  opposed 
to  any  legitimate  improvement  w^e  can  make,  but  on  the  contrary  the 
Bible  encourages  development  in  everything  that  is  good.  Yea, 
teaches  us  to  go  on  unto  perfection. 


CHAPTER  III. 

The  Lord  has  had  in  every  age  those  who  were  civilized  and  His  true 
worshippers.  The  great  prophet  Elijah  was  once  tempted  to  think 
that  he  was  the  onlv  one  of  ten  of  the  tribes  that  worshipped   (rod, 


J7„  THK  STORY  OF  GREATIOX. 

but  the  Lord  informed  him  better.     So  any  one  else  can   be  better 

only  temporary  and  partial.     Althougn  as  a  luct^ 

ever  in  a  savage  state.  .     ^.i  ^  xj;i^1q  r»f  Fcrvnt  and  the 

We  have  als^o  much  vah,able  history  ^ .['^^^  dole  of  ^^  pt  and  t^^^ 

contemporary  nations*  along  «'th  t''*  "'''^/^^I'.J'.^PHam  a*,  did  tlie 
which  descended  from  Shem,  as  they  did,  and  ''"'"""'"'have  some 
»yptians.  clear  on  until  the  days  of  !>olomon  Vii^^-  1  lo-oi"  vT 
*enera  Tdeas  of  the  conditions  of  the  whole  world.  (1  K.nss  10 .24-2.)). 

"Jtiem  however,  that  during  this  P-^'-'^f  ^ ''-^  ^tZ^n  v  oHiws' 
nheth  were  farther  off  from  the  influences  of  Israel  than  an>  others. 
Thev  came  but  little  into  Hebrew  notice,  it  appears,  until  after  the 
lab^S.  "apt^vity.  From  t^e  days  of  Alexander  t^heyh^dmu<^^^ 
to  do  with  the  (Jreeks,  and  later  on  much  also  to  do  with  tlie  Koinans. 
Thus  was  Europe-tl  e  isles  of  the  (lentiles-nations  o  .Japheth- 
made  known  to'^lsrael.  Those  to  the  .Tews  had  been  tr"ly  a  people 
afar  off;  and  being  far  off  from  the  visible  presence  of  ('"f  (  «n 
4:  l(i).  manifest  to  His  assemliled  host,  they  had  ess  of  ^P  >•  t"al 
light.     Hence  they  were  behind  the  Jews  in  civilization  as  well  as  in 

1    *  * 

'*''  I'onee  thou-ht  if  the  Romans  had  universal  dominion,  how  was  it 
that  other  nations  overran  their  country  and  broke  down  their  civil- 
ization'^ But  afterward  found  that  there  had  never  been  any  univej- 
sal  dominion,  in  fact,  of  one  people  over  all  other  people  since  the 

days  of  Xoah,  .  i      *  r*  ^^ 

There  were  tribes  of  savage  people— Hamites— south  of  Roman  do- 
minion which  they  had  nothing  to  do  with.  So  were  these  of  Japheth 
far  otT  upon  the  continent  of  Europe— as  well  as  the  mighty  nations 
in  the  distant  north— barbarians  all— not  subdued  by  the  Romans. 
They  subdued  (hiul,  France,  Spain,  Brittain  and  Germany  in  Europe, 
to^^ether  with  those  parts  of  Asia  and  Africa  mentioned  in  the  Bible; 
•  bu"  there  were  many  of  the  Shemitic  people  in  Asia  and  America 
which  the  Romans  knew  not  of,  so  it  appears  at  least.  These  distant 
people  were  called  by  both  .Jew  and  the  Greek  barbarians. 

All  the  relics  the  evolutionists  write  most  about,  to  try  to  set  their 
theory  on,  are  from  those  countries  that  were  from  of  old  barbarous. 
Many  of  them  are  yet  in  that  ancient  savage  state.  But  all  that  ex- 
cavation finds  in  those  countries  which  I  have  said  enjoyed  ancient 
civilization,  indicates  that  those  lands  were  occupied  by  civilized  peo- 
ple from  the  first. 

There  are  found  relics  of  civilized  domestic  life,  of  mechanical  arts, 
of  the  fine  arts,  of  agriculture,  of  war,  of  commerce,  and  of  literature 
on  stones,  clay  tablets,  vegetable  fabrics,  and  prepared  skins  of  ani- 
mals, showing  more  or  less  intelligence;  all  corroborative  of  the  facts 
of  Bible  history. 

When  a  man  is  drunk  it  appears  to  him  that  every  one  he  sees  is 
drunk  too.  So  some  writers  because  their  distant  ancestors  were 
barbarous,  want  to  saddle  that  on  all.  But  it  don't  fit  all  nations,  for 
there  are  those  who  never  had  any  period  of  savage  life,  no  stone  age. 

They  have  written  that  every  nation  had  its  stone  age,  but  it  is  far 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


171. 


{ 


( 


from  the  truth.  No  one  versed  in  general  history  can  think  such  a 
thing  as  that.  The  Bible,  therefore,  as  a  work  of  history  is  exceed- 
ingly valuable.  It  covers  a  broad  field  of  human  history,  stretches 
over  a  long  period,  gives  us  a  wealth  of  useful  history  found  nowhere 
else  No  one  could  write  a  correct  history  of  the  world  without  it. 
It  saves  us  from  the  unhappy  illusion  of  prehistoric  times  «'«  d^^'*;" 
of  civilization,  except  for  those  who  came  out  of  such  unfortunate 
conditions.     And  thank  the  Lord  for  all  that  got  out. 


< 


OHAPTKR  IV. 

From  the  Babylonish  war  with  the  .lews,  we  have  i'!  ^''^J^'*''^  J^'*,«^ 
a  -eneral  history  of  the  world,  as  known  to  them  until  the  year  of  our 
Lord  63  Especially  if  we  include  the  books  of  the  Macxabecs  and 
Shus  we  ha'"a  great  deal  of  the  history  of  the  world  as  then 
known,  ou^Itde  of  the' Jewish  nation,  which  is  f ->' -J^.V;'^^^  '^,,^;;:^ 
useful  especially  so  to  all  who  want  a  true  history  «  /  ^e  wo^'^y^  \^. 
the  beginning;  which  is  indeed  a  great  treasure  to  all  lowers  "f  tr  c 
earn'n"  F^om  this  history  we  learn,  that  for  a  long  time  the^t  e 
doTi^eof  Deity  and  His  worship  remained  "niong  Hn.  jl^-^^^^  '^s 

of  Ham  and  Japheth,  after  the  general  ^''='P«"'"  j^''",^i^'^Vbm.me 
B'lbel  Yet  it  faded  gradually  away;  and  as  their  minds  "?'""« 
more  and  more  darkened,  they  could  only  the  less  understand  he 
operations  of   nature;  or' rather.  OoA  in   nature,  -"A-^'^^  ^« 

Joteplus  says   to  the  sun,  moon  and  stars,  and  to  worship  what  eve 
did  them  good.     Hence,  they  got  to  worshipping  ~;^  ^s  St.  1  au 
savs  "servin-' the  creature  more  than-or  bes.des--t^ie(.rcator.      fa 
nrstilHower,  they  concluded  that  nature  was  Uod      Not  being    hie 
without  (xod-whose  worship  they  ha<l  ^"f  :  ""l  '  ""l^^  .^^    r^^f  ^.f 
too-they  failed  to  understand  nature  ''"^^^•''^^'\'^r.^„^\y^",f;„^^.- 

WhereL     he  Bible  teaches  that  it  is  Providence  ^-Mng  upon    am 
throu^h   all  nature.   Yet  to  this  day,  many,  people,  even  in  Ohnst^^a' 

j^tz^rv:  si^ri^'S  its«'r;^s 

might  find  hnd  it.  (Acts  17  .27,)  >vtiKii  i^ni 

whom  they  had  departed.  As  the  aP^^^^^^^^^^''\^''  f"  u"  fower  of 
rn^-  all  knew  Him  before  that  famous  dispersion  at  the  tONver  oi 
VtOCI    — ail  Knew  XXI iij^^^  ^/^^A    noifVtPr  were  thev  thankful, 

Babel— "Ihey  glorified  Himruot  as  God,  neither  were  in^:, 


j-2  THE  STORY  OF  CREATIOX. 

-huiUlin.  tin.,  tow,,  for  Us  avo,ml  .W^^^'-jf^ '^,^::i" 

vain  ^'^ ^^'^i' r'^'^rt^'V^l^^Z^^t^^Zy  had  done. 
(Roni.  1  :21,  (ren.  11  :b).     A  jiiaicidi  \^''-      .j„i,,trv      The  Scriptures 

The  .ledine  he.an  l^T/^^^;:':^^ ^^^i^.X^t  up'on  the 
rr;.  "fZ  n;;l;ir  n:',a' ';  .t n.;  This  aarkneL  increased  until  .t 
eiu'rossecl  the  j?re«ter  part  of  mankind.  Ar-winflp    h«id     how- 

Some  of  those  oUl  heathen  PhUosophers,  a     ^r.^otle    had^  h^«^ 
ever,  a  ..learer  conception  of    )city  «>'     "f  "^  "Xo 'excelled  them 
tlieir  followers  in  philosophy  have  at  tl  i»  da) .     Also  exce. 
in  the  love  of  virtue,  of  morality,  and  of  piet).  ,  .i..,,.   *,.„„ 

'"l^,h:'.i;ht  those  ha.i  on  religion  w-a.  '^^  :;,;,:;;;: 
lisl.t  handed  down  to  .Xdam  '^X.^^!^^/  f ,,  '.'^TenU  'disper^^on   of 

fniCnMrmrof  ■::;\i\':h^^^^^^^  "-'--^  --  -^ 

"K'"had"^'"-.-d  f,.a.n,ental  beliefs  in  the  -mAn.  of  CTKrist  the 
Son  of  (;.«!.  All  the  people  of  the  world  had  an  "^? '  '  "^,  ^^^^ 
,-o>ne  as  He  is  calle<l  in  S<-ripture,  "the  Desire  of  all  nations.  (.tia„. 
■>T  But  U  e  Greeks,  like  the  .lews,  had  preconceived  c_oncept.ons 
of  Hiniu  because  He  did  not  Kll  their  ideal,  like  the  Jews  many 
:l  tl'n  ric'edHim.  (1  Oor.  1  :21-22)  .^s  the  Jews  they  faded 
because  thev  did  not  adopt  the  ri>;ht  method.     (Rom.  10 .2-.i). 

SU  bboi-n'prejuclice  prevented  both  .lew  and  Greek  fi-om  aMndon- 
in.^  their  own  methods  to  try  those  preache,!  by  the  apos  les  of  Chiist. 
hcMice  they  persisted  in  their  own   -ainsaying  and  perished  in  despis- 

iii"  the  truth.     (.•Vets  lii:41).  ,       .       ^i  ii 

What  is  the  matter  with  these  who  try  to  moderni/e  those  old 
Iieathen  plulosophies  is  they  have  never  read  or  studied  the  Bible  or 
if  thev  did,  it  was  without  any  sympathy  with  it,  or  with  precon- 
ceptions a-ainst  it.  If  they  would  study  the  Bible  with  an  earnest 
desire  to  know  the  truth  they  would  see  much  more  ancient  and 
Irue  li^'ht  there  than  they  can  ever  find  in  all  their  classic  literature, 
and  philosophy,  and  science,  and  au^jht  else  from  the  heathens. 

One  reason  is  this,  all  that  is  found  among  the  heathen— on  Bible 
^^biects— are  only  imperfect  copies  of  the  true  which  are  found  only 
in  the  Hebrew  Bible— the  Bible  for  all  men— hij^h  Heaven's  gift  to  all 
mankind.  If  they  would  study  it  as  they  do  the  others,  and  get  that 
experience  of  soul,  which  it  teaches  as  the  need  of  all  men,  O  how 
happy  they  would  be! 

Oivilization  is  the  normal  state  of  man.  Everything  to  the  con- 
trary is  the  result  of  sin,  and  especially  of  the  awful  sin  of  idolatry. 
God's  curse  is  upon  all  sin  ;  and  especially  upon  all  forms  of  the 
grievous  sin  of  idolatry.  (Ex.  20 :3-4-5,  Deut.  6  li-'),  Mark  12  :28-30). 
Since  they  lost  their  civilization  no  people  have  ever  become  civil- 
ized without  contact  with  other  civilized  persons.  No  people  have 
ever  yet  become  Christianized  without  contact  with  others  who  were 
Christians  before  them.  Civilization,  therefore,  like  Christianity, 
never  evolved  itself. 

Some  civilized  people  have  been   in  every  generation  of   mankind 
from  the  first.     And  from  Adam  there  have  been  some  in  every  gen- 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


17J^. 


i 


t 


< 


eration  who  were  true  and  faithful  toward  God.  Neither  religion  nor 
civilization  had  an  inventor.  They  were  both  given  to  man  at  first. 
And  history  is  as  old  as  man— and  older;  for  it  accounts  for  man's 
creation,  and  of  the  creation  of  those  things  created  before  he  was. 

Some  have  unthoughtedly  said  religion  ought  to  improve.  She  can- 
not improve;  she  has  always  been  perfect.  We  may  improve  in 
religious  knowledge,  in  its  experience,  and  in  its  practice;  and  ought. 
Both  testaments  urge  us  so  to  do.  Numerous  quotations  to  the  point 
might  be  given. 

All  mankind  needs  is  to  come  to  her  perfect  standard— for  heart 
and  life ;  then  they  will  be  complete  in  Christ  Jesus,  which  is  the 
true  light  that  lighteth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world.  (Cros- 
pel  of  John,  1 :9). 

All  men  shall  eventually  come  to  see  that  light;  but  with  many  it 
will  be  more  miserable  than  the  way  of  the  transgressor,  which  is  now 
hard,  (Prov.  13:15,)  for  they  are  but  heaping  up  wrath  against  the 
day  of  wrath,  (Rom.  2:5).  Then  shall  they  with  anguish  look  upon 
Him  whom  they,  by  their  unbelief,  neglect,  and  sins  have  pierced. 
(John  19 :37,  Rev.  1 :7  and  Zech.  12  :10). 

There  is  to  be  a  general  triumph  of  the  true  doctrine  of  the  Bible 
over  all  the  earth  before  the  end  of  time  comes.  In  the  day  when 
the  true  light  shall  so  shine,  many  books  on  philosophy  and  science- 
only  so-called,  however— and  pantheism,  and  other  false  things  will 
be  cast  away  as  harmful  things,  by  many  who  will  become  better 
informed  by  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 

CHAPTER  V. 

In  consequence  of  the  decline  we  have  been  speaking  of,  to  preserve 
the  truth  in  the  earth,  the  Lord  separated  Abram  from  the  rest ;  even 
of  his  own  people.  Kept  him  in  His  special  care,  somewhat  as  Christ 
afterward  did  His  twelve  apostles;  so  as  to  make  His  posterity 
through  Isaac  and  Jacob  the  depositaries  of  the  truth  as  liad  been 
delivered  to  Adam,  and  all  the  great  patriarchs  before  and  since  the 
flood,  and  as  He  should  the  more  reveal  it  unto  them  from  time  to 
time  in  the  years  to  come,  until  He  should  come  who  is  the  incarna- 
tion of  truth  itself.     (JohnU:G). 

Abraham  was  ever  true  to  this  sacred  trust,  delivered  it^  in  all  -of 
its  purity  and  perfection  to  Isaac,  and  Isaac  to  Jacob,  and  Jacob  to 
the  twelve  patriarchs  of  Israel. 

So  when  Joseph  was  delivered  into  Egypt  he  carried  it  with  him  as 
a  forerunner  of  his  father's  house,  which  was  to  follow  him. 

There  was  quite  a  revival  in  Egypt   through  the  ^^.^^f^om,  teaching 
examples   and   influence   of   this   pious  Hebrew.     Ih rough  God  he 
brought  the  ruler  and  all  that  nation  to  believe  more  fully  in  Provi- 
dence.    They  so  continued,  were  prosperous  and  happy  until  a  ruler 

rose  that  knew  not  Joseph.  -,  .   j.  ^^^ 

From  then  on  there  was  a  decline  in  morals,  faith  and  intelligence 
until  the  days  of  Moses,  when  the  king  of  Egypt  wa^  ignorant  enough 
to  say,  "Who  is  the  Lord?  I  know  not  the  Lord.  (Ex  1 :8,  o  ./J). 
And  every  plague  of  the  ten  had  reference  to.some  form  of  idolatry. 


17i.- 


THE  8T0KY  OF  CKEATION. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


175. 


For  instance,  did  they  worship  or  fear  crocodiles,  dragons,  especially 
Pvllion  '  The  Lord  showed  them  that  He  could  make  him  a  common 
walkin- stick  for  man's  use.  They  worshiped  the  sun,  moon  and 
By  sendin-  a  thick  darkness  upon  their  land   for  tJiree  days 


stars. 


and  as  many  ni-lits,  the  Lord  showed  them  that  He  could  blot  them 
all  out,  and  reproduce  them  at  His  will.     (Ex.  10:21-25^).     They  wor- 


they  worship  the  ox,  the  cow,  the  calf?  He  sliowed  that  they  were 
no  gods  bv  sending  upon  them  a  grievous  murrain,  destroying  great 
numbers  of  them  and  of  their  sheep,  horses  and  camels,  too.  By 
sending  grievous  swarms  of  flies  upon  them,  and  removing  them  at 
His  word.  He  showed  that  there  is  no  fly  god  to  protect  people  from 
anv  kind  of  flies,  gnats  or  other  insects. 

i)id  thev  worship  their  fertile  soil?  He  showed  that  He  could 
curse  it— make  its  dust  a  pest— that  all  the  fruit  of  the  soil  is  from 
Him.  Did  they  have  superstitious  notions  about  ashes?  He  showed 
that  he  could  make  them  a  curse  by  afflicting  their  persons  with  sore 
boils,  as  Satan  brought  afore  upon  Job.  (2 :7-8,  Ex.  9 :8-12).  Did 
thev  worship  their  growing  crops?  He  showed  the  vanity  of  it  all  by 
sending  locusts  as  armies,  (Joel  2:25),  to  destroy  them.  Did  they 
trust  in  their  flsh  for  flesh  to  eat?  He  showed  the  weakness  of  it  by 
causing  them  to  die  in  their  waters,  and  sending  frogs  into  the  cook- 
ing departments  of  Pharaoh  and  of  his  people;  and  they  had  them 
for  bedfellows  too.  Did  they  put  their  trust  in  their  orchards,  gar- 
dens, vineyards  and  forests?  He  -showed  the  uncertainty  of  them 
all,  and  that  all  were  in  His  power,  by  sending  terriflc  lightnings, 
and  fearful  thunderings,  witli  a  grievous  hail  to  slash  them  to  pieces. 
And  did  they  depend  upon  their^  firstborn,  ''the  chief  of  their 
strength,"  for  their  defence  against  human  foes?  The  Lord  showed 
them  its  vainness  by  slaying  them  all  in  a  silent,  midnight  stroke. 

Truly,  as  was  Athens  in  the  time  of  Paul,  so  w^as  Egypt  in  the  days 
of  Moses,  full  of  idols,  jjike  the  Athenians,  though  learned,  they 
were  in  all  things  superstitious.  Whether  they  were  corrected  or 
not,  it  seems  that  they  had  enougli  to  cure  them  of  it  all. 

The  Hebrews  witnessed  "His  wonders  in  Egypt"  and  profited  by 
them,  yet  not  so  much  as  they  ought.  During  their  slavery  they  had 
gone  to  some  extent  into  idolatry — not  all  of  them  by  any  means — 
but  none  of  them  went  into  a  savage  state.  Nor  were  the  Egyptians 
in  a  savage  state,  but  civilized  as  were  the  Greeks  in  the  times  of  the 
apostles.  It  is  true  at  Sinai,  soon  after  their  wonderful  deliverance, 
Israel  showed  a  tendency  to  idolatry;  yet  never  to  barbarism.  And 
many  times  afterward  did  they  show  tendencies  to  idolatry,  but  were 
ever  free  from  savagism. 

From  the  days  of  Moses  on  through  the  centuries,  the  Hebrew^  civ- 
ilization continued  to  improve,  more  or  less  gradually,  except  some 
hindrances  at  times  from  idolatry,  until  it  reached  its  culmination  in 
the  times  of  David  and  Solomon ;  when  they  were  sought  unto  by  all 
the  earth  for  wisdom,  for  religious  doctrine  and  forms  of  worship? 
which  the  heathens  attempted  to  imitate,  yet  holding  on  to  idolatry. 


I 


I 


( 


1^ 


k 


Like  the  mongrel  Samaritans  afterward,  fearing  the   Lord,  but  serv- 
ing their  ow^n  gods.     (2  Kings  17  :88). 

At  that  time  Jerusalem  was  the  centre  of  light  for  the  world;  and 
of  political  power,  too.  Hence  so  many  of  them  tried  to  make  affin- 
ity with  Solomon.  This  was  one  thing  that  caused  the  wise  men  of 
the  east  in  after  years  to  come  to  the  west  in  search  of  light,  and  the 
colored  man  of  the  south  to  be  a  worshiper  at  Jerusalem  and  to  be 
baptized  on  his  way  home  to  his  south  land,  to  plant  the  standard  of 
Christ  in  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth;  that  caused  Socrates  to 
be  as  the  forerunner  of  Christianity  in  (Ireece.  The  best  thoughts  of 
the  heathens  on  law  and  jurisprudence,  on  morality  and  forms  of  wor- 
ship, in  plans  of  temples  and  altars,  were  all  borrowed  from  the  Jews. 

After  this  acme  of  Hebrew  civilization  there  was  a  decline  brought 
on  by  idolatry  introduced  by  Solomon  to  accommodate  his  heathen 
wives,  who,  like  Delilah  overcame  Samson,  persuaded  him  to  do  it, 
until  the  whole  of  the  two  nations,  Israel  and  Judah,  were  defeated 
and  led  away  captive,  one  in  Assyria  the  other  in  Babylon. 

Then  it  was,  as  it  is  often  said  in  history,  the  conquerors  learned 
superior  wisdom  from  those  they  con(iuered.  For  both  the  Assyrians 
and  Babylonians  were  greatly  improved  in  religious  thought  and 
practice  by  association  with  their  Jewish  captives,  Nebuchadnezzar, 
Darius,  Ahasuerus  and  Cyrus  are  witnesses,  as  was  Alexander  the 
Third,  afterward  convinced  of  the  true  God  })y  contact  with  the  Jews 
—acknowledged  Him— ascribed  his  victories  to  His  help— and  be- 
lieved certain  prophecies  of  Daniel  were  fulfllled  in  himseli.     A\  hich 

are  now  so  understood.  .  ,    ^  i     n      i 

One  writer  says  the  Jews  were  retined  by  conflict  with  the  (xreeks. 
But  that  is  not  true,  for  the  Greeks,  as  did  the  Egyptians,  Asiatic 
and  Roman  conquerors,  tried  to  corrupt  the  Jews  by  enforcing  their 
notions  upon  them  with  their  customs,  which  the  Jews  always 
resisted,  and  that,  when  resistance  was  equivalent  to  death  Many 
of  them  ''died  the  death' ^  rather  than  be  polluted  by  hejithen  cus- 
toms. All  those  nations  that  in  successive  t erms  conquered  the  Jews 
learned  superior  wisdom  from  them,  and  did  truly  acknowledge  it. 

In  the  age  of  the  Asmonean  Dynasty  the  Jews  were  again  in  high 
repute.  Now  some  of  their  prophecies  concerning  themselves,  as 
a  nation,  were  happily  fulfllled,  and  Jerusalem  was  again  the  centre 
of  li<-ht  to  the  nations.  She  was  as  a  city  set  on  a  hill  whose  light 
could  not  be  hid.  (Matt.  5  :U).  Now  all  those  nations  were_  more 
or  less  convinced  of  the  divine  origin  of  the  Jews'  religion ;  acknowl- 
ed<'ed  it  too.  They  all  held  the  Jewish  prophets,  priests,  and  espe- 
cially their  successive  High  Priests,  in  very  high  respect. 

Many  Christian  writers  believe  that  in  these  sufferings  His  provi- 
dence allowed  these  heathen  nations  to  inflict  upon  His  chosen  peo- 
ple. He  the  more  effectually  prepared  the  nations  for  he  ^ecept  on 
of  the  Gospel  of  Christ  when  it  should  be  preached  to  them.  Which 
is  true,  as  history  shows,  r^nrf^ot 

The  coming  of  Christ,  His  holy,  extraordinary  life.  His  perfect 
ministry,  wonderful  works,  cruciflxion,  resurrection  ascension  corn- 
in- of  tL  Holy  Ghost  in  His  fullness  on  that  day  of  f^^^^^^^^t,  and 
the  spread  of  Christianity  with  her  institutions,  wrought  very  great 


■# 


175. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


177. 


improvement  in  all  the  then  known  world  of  mankind.  Within  the 
first  three  centuries  of  this  era  all  the  then  known  governments  came 
to  favor  Christianity.  The  moral  sense  of  society  was  everywhere 
elevated  to  what  it  was  before.  Refinement  removing  the  coarse  and 
the  rough  out  of  it.  The  arts,  sciences,  philosophy  and  general 
learning  were  cultivated  and  encouraged  throughout  Christendom. 
But  after  that  happy  period  a  decline  followed  until  mankind  brought 
on  themselves  a  millennium  of  darkness. 

Emerging  from  this  there  has  been  a  long  and  quite  a  steady 
improvement.  And  as  all  that  were  before  it,  it  began  in  the 
improvement  of  the  moral  sense  of  mankind.  Now  it  seems  that 
every  line  is  drawn  to  its  utmost  tension,  and  what  the  result  shall 
be  the  Lord  only  knows.  Many  Christian  writers  have  said  of  late 
that  there  is  a  decadence  of  the  moral  sense  of  the  public  masses  of 
mankind  both  in  Europe  and  in  America.    If  so,  it  portends  no  good. 

Not  that  the  people  can  learn  too  much,  but  they  can  run  their 
learning,  as  anything  else,  into  vanity.  And  God  will  curse  it  with 
judicial  blindness,  as  He  did  the  Jews  for  their  obstinacy  against  the 
(rospel  of  Christ.  We  would  do  well  to  take  warning  here.  If  it 
does  not  acknowledge  Him,  is  not  used  for  His  glory,  we  cannot  ex- 
pect His  blessing  upon  our  learning,  nor  upon  our  enterprises.  The 
help  of  the  intellect,  as  of  the  heart,  is  of  (rod.  Men  should  not  try 
to  do  Him  out  of  either;  but  should  acknowledge  His  help  in  both 
and  in  both  submit  to  His  rule.  Otherwise  it  is  like  building  a  Babel 
tower  against  His  providence,  and  instead  of  its  being  real  wisdom, 
and  true  knowledge,  it  will  be  only  confusion. 

One  of  the  faults  gf  the  general  system  of  learning  today,  is  they 
try  to  learn  too  many  things  at  once,  which  creates  confusion  and 
they  do  not  learn  what  they  ought  to  best  know,  so  as  to  use  it  to 
advantage.  If  the  errors  we  pointed  out  before,  and  now,  were  elim- 
inated from  the  text  books  and  they  studied  only  the  truth,  it  would 
be  far  better.  This  is  true  both  in  Europe  and  in  America.  If  the 
reform  I  speak  of  should  prevail,  it  would  give  us  a  more  accurate 
and  better  scholarship.  \\'e  would  have  more,  truer  and  better 
learning.  The  people  will  demand  it;  they  are  very  tired  of  the 
present  system.     » 


CHAPTER  VI. 


No  IX)UBT  it  would  be  within  the  truth  to  say  that  in  the  reign  of 
David  the  throne  of  Israel  was  one  of  the  greatest  powers  in  the  whole 
world.  He  was  j^reatlv  admired  bv  the  other  rulers,  and  some  of 
them  made  treaties  with  him.  And  Solomon  was  sought  unto  by  all 
tlie  rulers,  to  hear  his  wonderfwl  wisdom,  to  see  his  improvements, 
his  prosperity,  and  the  magnificent  temple  he  had  built.  So  favora- 
bly impressed  were  they  with  all,  it  is  said  seven  hundred  of  them 
sought  to  make  affinity  with  him  by  marriage;  a  temptation  that 
even  the  wisdom  of  Solomon  did  not"  resist.  As  a  matter  of  accom- 
modation to  them,  he  accepted  their  offers. 

This  caused  frequent  visits  of  those  princes  to  his  courts.  The 
Jews,  their  temple,  their  rulers  and  their  government  were  then  the 


y 


^ 


V 


! 


most  talked  of,  of  any  thing  in  all  the  world.  Whether  they  intended 
it  or  not,  or  whether  Solomon  did  or  did  not,  yet  Providence  carried 
on  a  foreign  missionary  work  through  those  indirect  means.  Those 
heathen  rulers  got  many  good  ideas  from  Solomon  and  his  people. 

Peace  prevailed  then  generally  over  all  the  earth.  As  David  had 
by  inspiration  prayed  for  it  in  Ps.  72;  the  last  on  record  of  Jesse's 
son,  which  prayer  in  type  embraced  the  life  of  Christ  on  earth,  of 
which  the  peace  in  Solomon's  reign  was  a  type. 

It  was,  therefore,  a  good  time  for  all  kinds  of  improvements  to 
flourish ;  in  Israel  and  in  all  other  lands.  The  heathen  nations  tried 
to  imitate  the  temple  at  Jerusalem.  Hence  the  improvements  they 
made  in  temples  and  altars.  They  incorporated  some  parts  of  Juda- 
ism into  their  forms  of  worship;  into  their  morals  and  philosophy. 

Whatever  of  semblance  to  Judaism  in  them  is  found,  was  gotten 
in  this  way,  except  w^hat  each  people  had  preserved  from  the  disper- 
sion at  the  tower  of  Babel.  And  whatever  of  thought  and  act  is  seen 
among  their  writings  that  is  like  any  of  the  teachings  of  the  Bible  is 
borrowed  from  that  one  revelation  of  truth  which  God  made  to  man 
from  the  beginning,  and  made  it  more  and  more  clearly  seen,  until 
the  volume  of  the  book  sublime  and  holy,  was  complete. 

In  the  Sanskrit  philosophy,  Buddhism,  Confucianism,  and  in  all 
the  rest  of  them,  everything  good  in  them  is  no  reflection  against  the 
Bible,  for  they  were  indebted  to  the  Bible;  and  to  the  same  source 
through  that  revealment  which  the  Lord  gave  from  the  first  to  all 
men  ;  that  much  of  it  they  have  in  some  way  preserved,  however  cor- 
rupt it  ib^  Because  when  they  knew  God— all  knew  Him  then 
before  the  dispersion  at  the  tower  of  Babel— they  glorihed  Him  not 
as  God.  He  gave  them  up  and  their  foolish  hearts  being  darkened  by 
sin— the  sin  of  idolatry  at  that— this  was  the  best  they  could  do  of 
themselves.     (Rom.  1 :25-28).  ,  ,     ^  .^         ,  .u^ 

They  were  like  unto  him  who  buried  his  talent  and  lost  it,  and  the    ,. 
Judge  of  all  gave  it  to  those  who  would  use  it  best.     Hence  when  t^^  ^H,. 
found  His  truest  friend  in  Abraham,  He  gave  him  the  most      There, 
fore,   His  posterity,   through  Isaac  and  Jacob,  excelled  all  of  the 
ancients  in  religion  and  civilization.  ,    ,     ,    .      ,  ^      4..        ^t 

Among  those  heathens  are  found  some  of  the  facts  of  Creation,  of 
Eden,  of  man's  temptation  and  his  fall,  of  the  flood,  of  the  ark,  and 
of  the  tower  of  Babel ;  showing  that  they  got  them  eitjier  after  the 
time  of  Moses,  or  preserved  them  among  their  people  from  the  dis- 
persion at  the  tower  of  Babel.  The  truth  of  it  in  many  cases.  I  think 
is  they  carried  them  with  them  in  that  dispersion  and  translated 
them  the  best  they  could,  each  tribe,  into  t^ose  new  languages  then 
given  them  of  the  Lord.  This  much  of  revealed  trutli  was  l>*-e^^rved 
by  them ;  which  answers  as  a  witness  of  what  is  written  in  the  Bib  e 
Rev.  D.  W.  Carter,  a  missionary  to  Mexico,  says  in  writing  of  the 
pyramid  of  Cholula:  "A  modern  writer  says  of  this  Py^^^^"^f  ^.  ^h^ 
date  of  its  building  is  unknown.  It  wa^  there  before  the  A  tecs 
came  and  they  were  told  that  it  had  been  built  by  a  race  of  giantt^ 
descended  from  the  two  survivors  of  a  great  flood  that^overspread  the 
land.  It  was  the  intention  of  the  builders,  the  legend  goes  to  raise 
its  heicrht  to  Heaven,  but  they  incurred  the  displeasure  of  the  gods. 


178. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


who  sent  forth  fires  and  destroyed  them."  This  legend  m  its  way, 
bears  witness  of  the  fiood,  that  it  was  in  America  as  well  as  in  Asia 
that  some  who  lived  before  the  flood  survived  it,  and  that  the  account 
of  the  building  of  the  tower  of  Babel,  and  its  defeat,  was  known  to 
those  who  built  this  pyramid;  and  shows  that  they  emigrated  to 
America  from  a  place  where  those  facts  were  known  ;  and  that  they 
brought  with  them  a  higher  civilization  than  they  sustained  after 
coming  into  America. 

When  I  was  a  small  child  an  old  colored  family  auntie,  of  a  very 
dark  complexion,  told  me  that  God  sent  His  Son  into  this  world,  that 
men  killed  Him,  cut  Him  to  pieces,  put  Him  into  a  large  barrel,  put 
rocks  upon  Him,  but  they  could  not  hold  Him  down— He  would  rise 
and  live  again  in  spite  of  all  they  could  do  to  keep  Him  down. 

Now  she  had  the  main  facts,  with  some  erroi-s,  and  drew  upon  her 
imagination  to  fill  out  her  story.  On  the  plantation  she  had  seen 
pork  killed,  cut  up  and  barreled  and  weighted  on  top  to  protect  it 
from  cats  and  rats  or  any  creature  that  might  prey  upon  it.  So  it  is 
in  regard  to  all  those  heathen  traditions,  they  have  both  truth  and 
error  mixed  together.  The  truth  in  them  is  only  so  much  of  the  real 
facts  recorded  in  the  Bible;  while  the  errors  are  their  own  creations 
to  fill  out  their  story. 

In  the  Atlanta  Journal  of  September  11,  19()0,  is  an  article  quoted 
from  the  Philadelphia  North  American  on  the — so-called — evidence 
that  Noah  was  a  Chinaman  ;  in  which  the  writer  alludes  to  a  Chinese 
traditional  account  of  the  fiood,  which  aftei'ward  became  a  written 
legend. 

As  a  matter  of  course  all  of  the  early  tribes  of  men  after  the  flood, 
out  of  which  came  the  nations  of  the  whole  earth,  were  familiar  with 
all  the  facts  of  the  flood,  and  of  all  others  in  any  way  connected  with 
them,  as  taught  them  by  those  eight  persons  saved  in  the  ark.  And 
they  preserved  them  the  best  th(^y  could ;  hence  in  all  ancient  nations 
and  people,  as  far  as  we  have  found,  are  traditions  or  legends  of  the 
flood;  which  are  only  so  many  collateral  evidences  of  the  great  fact 
of  the  flood,  as  the  Almighty  had  it  recorded  in  the  Bible;  and  since 
there  is  so  much  collateral  proof,  surely  no  informed  person  can 
doubt  the  fact  of  the  flood  as  the  Lord  has  had  it  preserved  in  the 
Holy  Scriptures. 

The  writer  claims  this  legend  as  proof  that  Noah  was  a  Chinaman, 
and  says:  "To  the  supporter  of  this  theory  of  Noah's  origin  the 
the  tenth  chapter  of  Genesis  which  names  the  children  of  the  sons  of 
Noah,  as  'the  Hivite,  the  Arkite,  and  the  Sinites,'  provides  evidence 
as  Sinas  or  Sinim  was  the  ancient  name  given  to  China  in  Sanskrit 
records." 

The  names  quoted  above  from  Genesis,  tenth  chapter,  are  in  the 
seventeenth  verse ;  and  the  fifteenth  verse  shows  that  they  were  the 
sons  of  Canaan.  Now  Canaan  was  the  son  of  Ham,  Ham  was  the  son 
of  Noah  and  Noah  was  the  son  of  Lamech  before  the  flood ;  so  if  the 
Chinese  were  derived  from  Sinim,  Noah's  grandson,  how  could  Noah 
be  a  Chinaman? 

He  adds,  "Some  believe  that  Moses,  or  whoever  was  the  author  of 


( 


f 


i 


< 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


179. 


Genesis  and  the  story  of  the  flood,  had  seen  the  Chinese  historical 
records  and  secured  this  material  for  the  account  from  them." 

Now  if  the  reader  will  consider  the  distance  from  China  to  Egypt, 
or  Midian.  or  Canaan,  and  the  inconveniences  of  travel  in  those  days, 
it  will  not  appear  at  all  probable  that  Moses  nor  any  of  those  people 
had  any  communications  with  China.  The  Bible  nor  any  historical 
work  mentions  no  such  a  thing.  The  Hebrews  instead  of  having  any 
dealings  with  the  Chinese,  seem  to  have  been  ignorant  of  their  exist- 
ence. Nor  does  it  appear  that  the  Greeks  and  Romans  knew  any 
more  of  them  than  did  the  Israelites. 

Again,  if  the  Chinese  are  derived  from  the  Canaanites  they  mu=it 
be  younger,  as  a  nation,  than  the  nation  of  Israel  founded  upon  the 
overthrow  of  the  Canaanites  by  Israel  under  Moses  and  Joshua;  for 
there  is  no  evidence  but  that  all  of  the  Canaanites  dwelt  in  the  land 
of  Canaan  until  the  time  of  the  conquest  of  their  country  by  the 
children  of  Israel.  So  if  that  was  the  origin  of  China,  as  a  nation, 
there  would  be  no  possibility  for  Moses  to  have  seen  that  legend;  for 
China  would  have  been  non-existent  in  Moses'  day. 

Some  of  the  Canaanites  may  have  escaped,  for  aught  I  know,  into 
Central  Asia  and  planted  the  Chinese  nation  ;  but  it  seems  to  me  far 
more  probable  that  the  Chinese  descended  from  Shem  ;  however, 
some  foreign  missionaries  think  Sinim  in  the  49:12  of  the  prophet 
Isaiah  refers  to  China.  If  so,  I  think  it  was  a  Sinim  in  Shem's  line 
that  gave  his  name  to  ancient  China.  I  do  not  think  that  the  Chi- 
nese themselves  mean  to  be  understood  that  they  are  Hamites. 

The  writer  referred  to  above  seems  to  incline  to  the  idea  that  China 
was  the  first  settled  country  after  the  flood;  but  according  to  the 
Bible,  the  first  settlements  of  men  after  the  flood  were  in  the  lands  of 
Babylonia,  Assyria,  Egypt,  Syria,  Philistia  and  Canaan,  all  adjacent 
to  Mount  Ararat  in  Armenia.  No  doubt  but  they  sought  for  the 
lands  occupied,  as  they  knew  before  the  flood,  which  were  these  very 
countries;  according  to  the  records  as  found  in  the  Bible. 

Finally,  this  writer  seems  to  prefer  the  Chinese  junk  to  the  ark  of 
safety  of  the  Bible.  It  seems,  however,  that  he  could  see  that  the 
junk  would  be  very  unfortunate  protection  in  the  time  of  such  a 
flood  as  that,  from  the  fact  that  the  junk  is  open  at  the  top,  and  the 
rain  would  not  only  wet  the  passengers,  but  would  fill  the  junk  full 
enough  with  water  to  sink  it.  Then  those  in  it  would  be  no  better 
off  than  without.  No  junk  could  have  crossed  those  waters  into  the 
post-diluvian  world.  Nothing  except  such  an  ark  of  safety  as  the 
Ivord  enabled  Noah  to  build  could  have  made  that  voyage. 


CHAPTER   VII. 


When  Mahomet  wanted  to  impose  his  invention  upon  the  world  he 
borrowed  largely  from  both  the  Jews  and  the  Christians.  Took  out 
of  both  Testaments  what  he  thought  would  answer  his  purpose,  and 
tried  to  destroy  the  rest;  as  popery  has  done  all  along,  and  would  do 
today  if  it  could,  as  the  many  evidences  of  old,  and  of  late,  abund- 
antly show.  Mahomet  found  that  the  Arabs  descended  from  Abra- 
ham through   Ishmael ;    that   the  Jews  and   Christians    both  made 


180. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


much  of  their  descent  from  that  great  patriarch,  the  first  after  the 
flesh,  the  second  after  the  spirit.  So  he  thought  if  he  could  destroy 
the  means,  he  could  by  the  extremes  make  out  that  he  was  (jod  s 
prophet,  descended  from  Abraham. 

Whatever  of  good  is  in  Moslemism,  is  not  against  the  Bible,  as 
some  want  to  array  everything  of  the  kind  wherever  found,  but  is  so 
much  in  favor  of  the  Bible;  for  it  was  taken  from  the  Bible.  Like 
the  heathen  philosophies,  it  has  no  independent  source  of  its  own. 
Whatever  of  good  is  in  any  of  them  is  borrowed  from  that  one  reve- 
lation God  made  to  man,  as  is  set  forth  in  His  written  word ;  and  the 
evil  in  all  of  them  is  a  fraud  of  the  devil.  They  are  doctrines  of  devils, 
(1  Tim.  4:1).  Their  worship  is  sacrificing  to  devils.  (1  Cor.  10:20). 
And  some,  as  of  old,  say,  show  us  a  miracle. 

If  the  enlightenment  of  nominal  Christian  nations  should  so  degen- 
erate as  for  physical  miracles  to  be  necessary  again,  perhaps  He 
would  grant  them  to  be  performed  for  the  salvation  of  unbelievers. 
But  He  will  not  do  it  to  gratify  any  one's  curiosity;  nor  for  any  w^ho 
are  capable  of  receiving  the  truth  through  the  ordinary— the  higher 
channels.  He  did  not  do  it  for  the  Greeks  when  asked;  neither  did 
He  do  it  for  Herod  when  desired.  Nor  did  He  for  the  Jews— He  comes 
to  no  man's  terms.  But  every  one  has  to  come  to  His  terms,  or  he 
will  go  unblest,  and  be  cursed;  even  as  the  obstinacy  of  the  ancient 
tribes  of  mankind,  after  the  dispersion  from  the  plains  of  Shinar, 
worried,  so  to  speak,  the  patience  of  (xod  until  He  gave  them  up. 
(Rom.  1:24-28).  For  the  same  reason.  He  afterward  temporarily 
abandoned  His  chosen  ones  in  the  days  preceding  their  fall  into  the 
hands  of  the  Assyrians  and  Babylonians.  And  in  the  days  of  the 
Christ  on  earth;  and  in  the  time  of  His  apostles;  for  the  obstinacy 
of  restored  Israel,  He  has  now  for  a  long  season  abandoned  them, 
sending  upon  them  judicial  blindness,  as  He  did  afore  upon  the  stub- 
born heathen.  So  they  cannot  for  the  time  being,  see  the  truth — for 
the  lasting  perpetuity  of  their  obstinacy  is  veiled  by  unbelief — blind- 
ed by  the  god  of  this  world — are  a  miserable  prey  to  falsehood. 

But  for  them  is  a  promised  return  of  the  true  light,  and  of  their 
return  as  a  nation,  held  out  in  both  Testaments,  of  the  rending  of  the 
veil — of  the  blindness  healed. 

While  the  Gentile  world  is  being  enriched  by  their  loss,  the  time  is 
coming,  no  doubt  approaching,  when  the  nations  of  Christendom,  for 
a  large  part,  will  need  such  a  witness,  and  the  Jew  will  be  blest  with 
it,  and  they  will  be  blest  through  Him.     (Zech.  14:9). 

There  is  another  parallel  illustration.  In  the  centuries  following 
the  days  of  the  apostles  of  Christ,  the  larger  part  of  the  professors  of 
Christianity  lapsing  into  Judaism  on  the  one  hand,  and  into  heath- 
ism  on  the  other,  God  calling  again,  and  again,  for  the  expulsion  of 
these  things,  and  they  as  often  refusing  to  let  theip  go,  at  last  the 
patience  of  God,  as  it  were,  was  so  wearied  with  them,  that  He 
moved  the  good  to  depart  out  from  among  them,  that  they  might 
escape.  The  rest  He  visited  with  judicial  blindness.  And  so  misera- 
bly blind  did  they  become,  that  they  set  up  popery;  or  their  minds 
w^ere  so  dark  that  they  suffered  it  to  be  done,  and  over  themselves, 
at  that,  as  St.  Paul  and  others  did  tell  beforehand ;  which  is  the  pro- 


) 


/ 


% 
f 


THE  STORY  OF  OREATIOX. 


181. 


J 


./ 


(. 


( 


phetic  man  of  sin,  the  Vatican  being  tJie  head.  (2  Tlies.  2:8-12.  and 
1  Tim.  4:1-8.)  And  every  preacher  would  do  well  to  often  read  and 
study  the  sixth  verse  of  this  last  cha{)ter  referred  to. 

Some  systems  of  evil  are  so  gross,  so  palpable,  that  they  are  com- 
pared to  beasts  of  prey.  But  this  is  so  adroit,  so  deceitful,  so  diplo- 
matic, tliat  it  is  compared  to  a  man.  It  is  so  elastic,  subtile,  satanic, 
that  it  is  called  "Spiritual  wickedness  in  high  places'' — in  ecclesias- 
tical offices;  seeking  all  mankind,  and  all  of  their  wealth,  as  a  steal- 
tliy  beast  of  prey,  (Jetting  that  prey  as  far  as  they  can  l)y  clandes- 
tine, undermining  methods,  and  openly  and  ferociously,  wherever 
they  dare  to  uncover  themselves  in  their  true  character. 

This  "mystery  of  iniquity"  has  brought  upon  themselves  and  upon 
others,  all  of  the  untold  miseries  that  have  followed  from  that  source. 
And  yet  that  veil  is  upon  their  heart,  and  that  blindness  on  their 
mind  unto  this  day.  (2  (^or.  8  :14-1()).  But  (rod  will  destroy  it  by 
"the  brightness  of  His  coming,"  through  His  Word  and  Spirit,  in 
true  evangelicnl  Christianity. 

When  they  turn  to  (rod,  as  they  ought,  even  at  all  hazards,  He 
shall  deliver  them  from  this  "man  of  sin"  and  all  of  his  oppressions. 
Not  by  a  bloody  "Armageddon,"  (Rev.  1():1()),  but  by  a  bloodless 
victory  of  the  truth  of  God  over  all  error.  For  that  conflict  is  to  be 
between  truth  and  error.  It  is  God's  fight.  It  is  called  the  day  of 
God  Almighty. 

There  will  ho  combined  forces  againt  God  in  His  written  Word  and 
in  His  true  spiritual  church.  And  God  in  (-hrist  .lesus  in  His 
revealed  will  and  truth  shall  ho  victorious.  All  error  shall  go.  The 
error  that  is  in  philosophy  and  science,  in  heathenism,  in  Moham- 
medism,  in  Romanism,  and  everywhere  else  that  is  of  a  moral  nature 
— opposed  to  (Jod  and  to  His  true  revelation  He  has  made  to  man — 
will  be  swept  away  in  that  triumph  of  (-hristianity,  in  her  true  doc- 
trine and  her  holy  life.  These  errors  will  have  to  go.  If  not  before, 
they  will  in  the  bloodless  victory  of  Armageddon. 

I  mean  no  harm  to  anybody.  I  only  see  the  truth  as  God  gives  me 
to  see  it;  and  express  it  as  He  gives  me  to  express  it.  I  believe 
whatever  of  error  there  is  in  any  system  of  thought  and  life  will  be 
puri^ed  awav,  and  the  truth  that  may  be  found  in  any  of  them  shall 
live?  There  are  none  totally  destitute  of  all  truth.  There  are  some 
grains  of  truth  in  every  one.  There  is  a  nucleus  of  truth  around 
which  every  one  crystallizes,  and  for  whi  'h  it  stands.  Which,  I  sup- 
pose, is  as  the  salt  that  now  saves  the  organization  of  each  in  spite  of 
the  error  it  carries. 

But  that  day  is  to  trv  tliem  all,  (1  (^or.  8:18),  for  now  already  the 
ax  is  laid  at  the  foot  of  the  trees,  (Matt.  8:10)'  the  evil  to  destroy, 
the  good  to  spare:  which  ax  is  the  true  Gospel  of  Christ  .lesus.  Dead, 
decaying,  dying,  fruith'ss  branches  lopped  olT,  and  the  fruit  bearing 
ones  pruned  to  bear  more  fruit.     (John  1;):2). 

Sometimes  I  think  we  should  have  more  sympatiiy  for  those  who 
may  not  believe  as  we  do  in  a  true  si)iritual  religion  than  we  are  often 
disposed  to  exercise.  For  if  the  better  should  not  sympathize  with 
them,  how  could  they  in  their  weaker  condition  have  charity  for 
them?     As  the  Scripture  says,  "The  strong  ought  to  bear  the  infirm- 


182. 


THE  STOKY  OF  CREATION. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


188. 


iliesof  tlieweak.''  (Rom.  lo:  1-7).  And  liow  do  we  know  but  the 
Lord  will  cause  the  sjood  tliat  is  in  them  so  to  develop  as  to  pur^re 
out  the  bad.  I  have  hoped  that  that  is  the  kind  of  a  reformation 
which  will  reach  the  desired  end. 

But  aside  from  all  denominations  and  systems  are  those  who  for 
reasons  best  known  to  themselves,  with  either  minds  befuddled  or 
hearts  more  wicked,  who  seem  to  prefer  the  heathen  legends  to  the 
Bible  account  on  the  same  subjects.  But  at  that  we  need  not  be  dis- 
appointed for  the  Scriptures  say,  ''none  of  the  wicked  shall  underj 
stand;  but  the  wise  shall  understand.''  (Dan.  12:10).  1  Cor.  2:14-15 
teaches  the  same  fact  with  its  reasons.  So  it  is  of  no  use  for  others 
to  look  to  the  unrenewed  in  heart  as  leaders  in  thought.  And  espe- 
cially the  prejutliced  for  they  are  under  blindness  on  account  of  their 
sins.  (.lohn  :5:19-21).  It  is  sent  upon  them  as  a  just  condemnation 
for  the  evil  principles  they  have  held  in  their  hearts,  which  have 
crystallized  in  wicked  speeches  and  bad  acts — when  occasion  served 
them  for  so  doing.  A  moral  darkness  therefore  envelopes  their  spir- 
its so  they  are  incapable  of  reasoning  correctly  upon  the  teaching  of 
the  Bible.  (Rom.  11:8-11).  Especially  on  regeneration  and  its  cog- 
nate doctrines.  (John  9  :Ji9-ll).  Christ  says,  ''If  any  man  will  do 
His  will,  he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine,''  (.John  7:17),  otherwise  his 
heart  will  be  shut  against  spiritual  understanding,  and  his  mind 
darkened  on  account  of  sin  and  guilt.    (Acts  1():14,  Luke  21:15). 

As  to  the  frivolous,  fickle  mind  of  many  in  France,  they  have  long 
since  ceased  to  think.  They  don't  want  to  think.  They  want  to  enjoy 
themselves.  But  alas,  have  lost  the  way  I  It  is  a  pity  that  our  peo- 
ple have  looked  to  them  as  leaders  in  fashions.  O,  the  pity  of  it! 
Truly  blest  are  they  who  walk  not  in  the  counsel  of  the  ungodly.  (Ps. 
1 :1).  In  their  moral  blindness  a  few  years  ago  some  of  them  in  Paris 
tried  to  set  up  Asiatic  idolatry  in  the  midst  of  the  French.  And  for 
the  same  infirmities  some  in  New  York  city  tried  to  set  up  Moham- 
medism. 

It  all  comes  from  the  love  of  sin.  And  (rod's  curse  is  upon  them. 
Let  truth  and  virtue  resist  the  sin  of  it  all,  and  drive  the  darkness 
back  to  the  place  of  its  rising — the  bottomless  pit. 

The  sceptical  (xerman  mind  has  run  in  the  grooves  of  fanaticism, 
on  moral  and  spiritual  (piestions  so  long  that  it  is  incapable  of  think- 
ing soberly  and  correctly  on  the  teachings  of  the  Bible. 

The  devil  makes  them  think  that  they  have  found  superior  wisdom, 
but  it  is  folly  and  madness  all.  Let  not  others  be  deceived  by  t'hem. 
"Neither  give  place  to  the  devil.'"  (Eph.  4:27),  "Resist  the  devil 
and  he  shall  flee  from  you."     (James  1 :7). 


i 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


It  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that  Adam  was  wiser  than  Cain  or  Abel. 
For  he  was  an  adult  man  physically,  mentally,  morally  and  spirit- 
ually when  created.  As  if  fully  grown,  or  perfectly  developed.  He 
was  perfect  in  all  these  respects.  He  lived  more  or  less  time  in  this 
happy  state,  without  sin  ;  we  are  not  informed  as  to  the  length  of 
time,  we  know  not  how  long.     Such  a  one  has  a  very  great  advan- 


\  <- 


; 


<i 


1 


'{ 


tage  in  all  these  things  over  others  less  fortunate.  The  Jews  must 
have  thought  so  when  they  said  to  one,  "Thou  wast  altogether  born 
in  sin,  and  dost  thou  teach  us?"  (John  \):lU).  While  (-ain  and 
Abel,  as  all  since  have  been,  were  born  in  sin,  and  had  to  struggle 
against  a  sinful  luiture  in  themselves,  which  had  a  deleterious  etfect 
on  them  in  resisting  outward  temptations. 

Adam  and  Eve  liaving  such  a  great  start  had  superior  strength  in 
all  these  respects  over  their  children.  You  may  think,  liowever,  that 
their  children  had  them  to  warn  and  teach  them  whereas  Adam  and 
Eve  had  no  human  teachers,  no  examples,  no  precedents  before  them 
to  help  them  in  any  way.  They  had  to  take  the  untried,  unexplored 
world  barefooted,  and  alone,  upon  the  untried  law  of  (Jod.  And 
doubtless  they  des(H-ve  more  sympathy  than  posterity  is  disposed  to 
give  them. 

In  giving  names  to  the  diti'erent  species  of  animals  appropriate  to 
the  nature  and  habits  of  each,  Adam  shows  his  great  insight,  beyond 
what  any  man  has  since  done  in  natural  history. 

If  you  can't  accept  that  statement  you  will  have  to  admit  this,  the 
Lord* inspired  him  for  it.  And  as  far  as  we  know  the  same  names  are 
retained  to  this  day  ;  carried  on  through  the  different  branches  of  the 
Adamic  language  given  to  them  in  the  day  of  their  C-reation.  Adam 
was  well  prepared  to  understand  and  to  retain  all  these  things  in 
memory,  and  ])erhaps  in  writing  too. 

The  Lord  did  not  have  any  of  the  Nevr  Testament  written  while 
He  was  on  earth,  but  enabled  the  apostles  to  hold  it  in  memory  and 
gave  the  Holy  (rhost  to  bring  all  things  to  their  minds  again  which 
He  had  said  unto  them,  as  He  had  promised  them  before  He  was 
taken  up  from  them.  So  in  the  case  of  Adam,  no  doubt;  for  the 
Lord  always  helps  mankind  as  they  have  need.  And  Adam  retained 
them  in  memory  as  long  as  he  lived,  handed  them  down  to  his  pos- 
terity and,  perhaps,  saw  them  correctly  written.  Josephus  says, 
'•Those  that  then  lived  kept  a  correct  record  of  the  births  of  the 
illustrious  ones  among  them  before  the  flood.  So  in  computing 
chronology  they  were  governed  by  the  births  and  had   no  regard  to 

deaths.  ""^  ■  .,.,..  1 

I  have  myself  known  people  to  recite  a  great  deal  of  history  by 
referrinir  to  the  dates  of  births  which  they  had  held  in  memory. 
:>Iany  a"]:>edigree  has  been  handed  down  in  that  way.  It  was  quite 
common  in  the  early  settling  of  this  country  by  the  whites. 

.Afankind  have  always  adapted  themselves  to  their  necessities. 
Thev  did  then  as  we  would  do  now  r.nrler  similar  circumstances,  ihe 
known  present  is  the  best  criterion  by  which  to  judge  the  unknown 
past  Doubtless  the  Creator  instructed  them  in  all  earthly  things, 
which  were  done  before  their  own  (h-eation,  for  their  own  happiness, 
and  for  the  happiness  of  their  posterity.  And  especially  necessary 
would  this  be  after  they  had  sinned.  For  then  a  change  in  Divine 
administration  toward  man  went  into  etfect  ;  and  the  composition  of 
the  Bible  was  then  obli-ed  to  begin;  for  it  is  the  concretion  of  al 
the  abstract  principles  that  were  then  beginning  in  process  of  dejel- 
opment.  And  it  was  well  for  Adam  and  Eve  to  he  well  instructed  in 
the  past  administration  under  which  they  lived  before  they  fell,  as 


1&4. 


THE  ST(1RY  OF  CREATION 


well  as  in  the  now  then  se.tin^Mn.  under  whu-h   hey  were  now  plaeed 
in  hope  of  the  pron.ise  of  reden.ption  then  ».ven   to  *  '^■"-  / 
that  time  forward  tl>ey  were  well  prepar,.,!  of  the  Lord  ff  ^'^^  jV-^J 
commission  as  our  federal  heads  fjiven  unto  them,  and  the.v    hlled   it 

woll    ns  tlie  sacred  record  shows. 
^"^lr^l^noa^\M.lu^ornmnon^.li\.thema.  the  most  precK>uB 

heritiu'e  for  themselves  and  their  children,  and  m  some  way,  thiou^^li 
Provid^ence,  handed  them  down   to  coming  fenerations   as  ^^'e   have 
them  today  in  the  blessed   book   of  (nmesis.     Ihan   ?vluch   there     s 
nothiiK.-  outside  the  Kible  that  equals  it,  and  nothmj?  in  all  tiie  Scrip-    . 
tures  that  excels  it  in  -randeur  of  thou-ht,  in  sublimity  and   natur- 
alness of  expression,  in  purity  of  diction  and  elej^ancy  of  style.     As 
all  the  other  books  of  the  Scriptures  it  shows  it  came  from  the  same 
Author,  Tie  who  s^'rew  no  wiser  after  He  becran   than   He  was   betore, 
and  lost  none  of  His  wisdom   an<l   power  as  lonj;  as   He   continued, 
until  He  finished  and  forbid  any  more  to  be  added  to  the  happy  vol- 
ume.    No  other   book   was  ever  so   long   in    process   of   composition 
and  writing,  yet  it  sustains  the  same  lofty  style  of   thought   and   ex- 
pression from*  beginning  to  end.     Truly  it  is  Divine. 

Much  or  this  original  strength  of  body,  mind  and  soul  were  retained 
in  the  race  in  the  first  ages  of  the  world  as  is  shown  in  the  lives  of 
the  great  patriarchs  before  and  a  few  centuries  after  the  flood. 

Jo'sephus  savs,  "That  God  spared  them  thus  long  on  account  of 
their  piety,  and  for  the  sake  of  learning."  That  they  made  a  spe- 
cialty of  astronomy  and  also  of  mathematics.  That  it  was  necessary 
for  some  to  live  over  six  hundred  years  to  make  astronomical  obser- 
vations; for  it  takes  six  hundred  years  to  make  the  great  year— so 
as  to  get  the  correct  basis  for  that  science  as  known  to  man.  Jt 
would" be  but  a  reasonable  supposition  tiiat  even  with  the  crudest 
means  they  would  ac<iuire  a  vast  amount  of  knowledge  in  six  or  nine 
iumdred  years  and  more.  They  made  good  use  of  their  opportunities 
and  the  world  is  indebted  to  them  today  for  their  knowledge  and  piety. 
But  on  account  of  man's  sins  (Jod  shortened  his  days  on  the  earth, 
and  it  must  have  also  iitfected  his  mental  powers  too.  The  history 
shows  that  the  wicked  among  them  were  using  their  mental  as  well 
as  tlieir  physical  powers  in  wrong  doing.  So  a  righteous  Judge  weak- 
ened them  *in  both  ;  and  as  in  all  public  calamities,  the  good  and  the 
bad  suffered  together. 

The  decree  took  effect  gradually  from  the  Hood  until  few  could 
reach  the  hundredth  year.  Every  other  power  in  man's  constitution 
was  obliged  to  sympathize  with  his  shortened  life  and  bodily  inlirmi- 
ties,  hence  the  mercy  of  (rod  pitied  man,  and  winked  at  many  of  his 
shortcomings,  (Acts  17:80);  until  he  received  help  through  the 
preaching  of  the  cross  of  Christ.  But  the  81st  verse  shows  He  no 
longer  winks  at  the  sin  of  it,  but  holds  all  henceforth  to  a  strict 
account.  Under  the  circumstances  then  existing  the  deterioration 
w^as  obliged  to  go  on  until  the  better  hope  was  given. 

From  the  dispersion  of  Babel  there  was  a  decline  throughout  the 
race.  All  nations  felt  and  owned  it,  hence  we  find  them  as  Confucius 
and  Virgil  looking  back  to  a  golden  ])ast. 

Chinese  history  it  is  said  goes  back  as  far  as  2G87  years  B.  C. ;  that 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION 


ISf). 


\ 


^A     . 


their  civilization  is  8(XK)  years  old.  To  the  Hood  that  would  doubtless 
be.  It  is  also  said  that  the  Chinese  have  governmental  annals  which 
date  back  in  unbroken  succession  unto  2()98  years  before  the  birth  of 
Jesus  Christ. 

If  both  it  and  our  chronology  in  our  authorized  version  of  the  Bible 
are  correct,  it  would  reach  beyond  the  flood.  But  I  believe  the  flood 
was  several  centuries  later  than  our  authorized  chronology  puts  it. 
For  it  would  imply  that  Lamech  and  Methuselah  lived  while  Noah 
was  building  the  ark.  Both  good  and  righteous  men.  Whereas  the 
Lord  said  to  Noah,  "For  thee  have  I  seen  righteous  before  me  in 
this  generation."  The  inference  is,  1  think,  when  Noah  was  called 
to  build  the  ark  he  was  the  only  righteous  man  then  living  in  the 
world.  And  I  think  if  Methuselah  and  Lamech  had  been  living  then 
they  could  have  influenced  the  rest  to  do  better.  And  it  does  seem 
that  the  constraining  influence  of  Enoch  for  good  would  have  lived 
longer  than  that.  I  think  the  text  carries  evidence  in  itself  to  show 
that  the  flood  was  several  centuries  farther  into  time  than  it  is  put 
in  our  authorized  chronology.  And  which  agrees  better  with 
Josephus.  the  Septuagint,  and  the  Samaritan   Pentateuch. 

Now  suppose  that  the  Chinese  annals  are  correct,  (2698  B.  C). 
According  to  the  Bible  they  did  not  exist  under  that  name  until  after 
the  dispersion  from  the  tower  of  Babel.  Our  chronologists  in  the 
authorized  version  puts  that  event  about  1U2  years  after  the  flood. 
Then  if  the  flood  was  as  much  as  2(HJ  years — or  that  much  more  time 
is  not  accounted  for—later  than  they  put  it;  then  add  their  stated 
time  before  the  flood.  1650  years,  it  makes  4Gr)()  years  to  the  birth 
of  Christ,  and  19(X)  since  makes  the  age  of  the  world  (j'h)^  years; 
which  is  not  far  from  the  <*onsensus  of  christian  writers  on  the 
same  subject. 

The  ideas  of  the  Deity  as  set  forth  in  Brahminism  are,  I  believe, 
imperfect  representations  of  the  original  doctrine  as  .taught  in  the 
Scriptures;  which  was  thus  far  retained  among  them,  from  the 
founding  of  their  race,  which  could  not  have-  been  until  after  the  dis- 
persion of  men  mentioned  in  Oenesis  11  :l-9. 

And  their  reverence  for  the  highest  title  of  the  (lodhead — or  trinity 
of  persons— is  so  much  like  that  of  the  Hebrews  for  the  high  title 
Jehovah,  (Ex.  6:20),  I  think  that  they  must  have  taken  it  from  the 
Hebrew  Scriptures  after  the  days  of  Moses,  or  by  personal  contact 
with  the  Jews— learning  it  from  Jewish  customs. 

There  is  no  probability  that  Moses  ever  had  any  knowledge  of  the 
Hindoos ;  nor  would  he  have  imitated  anything  of  theirs  if  he  had  had  it. 
AVhat  he  wrote  was  commanded  of  (rod  for  Israel  and  after  for  all 
mankind.  The  Jews  were  too  reverential  to  pronounce  the  name 
Jehovah  in  anv  ordinary  discourse,  and  substituted  for  it  "The 
Lord."  I  think  they  got  this  idea  from  Jews  in  the  days  of  Solomon. 
Their  highest  antiquity  of  it  in  their  system  does  not  at  the  farthest 
go  farther  back  than  tiie  reign  of  Solomon  ;  and  his  reign  began  1014 
years  B.  C.     The  similarity,  I  think,  shows  that  they  tried  in  this  to 

imitate  the  Jews. 

While  their  idea  of  this  highest  person,  leaving  the  matter  of  the 
divine  administration  to  the  second  person  until  the  expiration  of  a 


I8G. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


187. 


c-erUiii  Viino,  is  very  much  like  the  teaching?  of  the  Now  Testament. 
(1  Cor.  ]r):2H-28).  This  tliey  may  liave  incorponited  from  the  Chris- 
tians in  the  duvs  of  (/onstanline. 

Then  follo\vi*n<4  that  period  their  idea  of  the  destruction  of  this 
world  is  very  miieli  like  that  taught  by  Paul,  Peter  and  other  New 
Testament  writers  on  tluit  subject. 

If  they  did  not  get  this  from  the  Christians,  nor  from  the  Jews, 
tlicy  had  an  opportunity  to  get  it  from  Enoch;  as  St.  .Jude  says 
Eno.-h  propliesicd:  "Behold  tlie  Lord  cometli  with  ten  thousand  of 
His  saints  to  execute  judgment  upon  all."  (14,15  vs.)  And  there 
was  a  tradition  that  Adam  prophesied  that  the  world  would  be  de- 
stroyed first  by  a  flood  of  water  and  tlu^  second  time  l)y  fire. 

Now  all  men  luul,  at  first  before  tiu^  iiood  and  after  the  flood, 
access  to  all  the  revelation  that  was  given  up  to  the  time  of  the  dis- 
persion at  the  tower  of  Babel,  Then  every  tribe  had  the  opportunity 
of  preserving  all  that  had  been  delivered  up  to  that  time;  and  any 
more  thev  may  have  been  favored  with  afterward. 

The  Hindoos  and  the  Chinese,  as  the  Assyrians  and  Babylonians, 
therefore,  had  the  opportunity  of  knowing  and  of  preserving  all  the 
information  that  irid  been  given  to  mankind  when  they  were  only 
one  hodv  and  one  language  only  known  to  them. 

And  all  that  is  true  among  them,  and  the  other  heathens,  or  Cen- 
tiles,  are  but  fragiiients  of  the  original  body  of  truth  revealed  to 
Adam  and  Eve,  and  on,  and  on,  as  ihe  Lord  added  more  at  times  to 
the  great  patriarchs  unto  the  time  of  the  confounding  of  the  language 
at  Babel.  That  original  revelation  in  its  purity  and  fullness  was  em- 
bodied i?i  the  Hel)rew  Scriptures,  and  that  much  of  it  remained 
among  the  otlier  people  as  these  fragments  of  the  true  show. 

They  did  not  invent  it.  Only  preserved  this  much  of  what  was 
given  to  their  forefathers;  or  learned  from  the  children  of  Abraham  ; 
and  lost  the  rest  of  it. 

('Onfncius  told  his  peo])le  be  did  not  origitiate  what  he  taught 
them;  that  he  r)niy  tjKight  what  he  learned  from  ])ast  teachers, 
('harles  Spurgeon  said  lie  learned  most  from  old  l)Ooks.  So  Confucius 
was  handing  down  what  he  had  learned  from  the  past;  and  on  his 
own  confession,  only  the  learning  of  the  past.  No  doubt  tliat  past 
goes  back  to  the  ti?rie  when  all  men  were  only  one  race  and  had  the 
same  speech.  And  where  vrill  we  find  its  l)eginning?  In  Noah?  In 
Adam?     hi  Cod  Himself.     That  is  its  source. 

Their  best  ideas  are  onl\'  fragmental  of  the  perfect  system  of  truth 
which  prevailed  in  that  golden  age  which  C  Kifucius  so  fref|uently 
referred  to.  Ir  was  t\u^  Xoachic  age.  It  embraced  as  much  as  four 
centuries,  perhaps,  after  the  flood.  It  was  before  the  introduction  of 
idolatry.  Idolatry  ended  t  hat  golden  age.  Broke  down  that  civili- 
zation; except  what  was  preserved  in  Siiem's  line,  and  a  part  of 
Ham's,  until  Egy,pt  fell  into  de-iradation — a  fulfillment  of  prophecy — 
and  brought  in  barbarism.  WIumi  these  are  wiped  from  the  earth 
we  will  have  another  golden  age. 

Confucius  was  alv.ays  looking  back  to  a  golden  age.  He  had  an 
idea  of  it.  He  held  it  fast.  But  could  not,  like  the  Hebrew  proph- 
et.'i,  penetrate  the  future — bring  hope  to  himself,  and   comfort  to  his 


{ 


{ 


•'  A  I  «• 


fellows.  They  saw  a  golden  age  ahead,  embraced  it,  (Hel).  11:B>, 
.John  8 :")()),  losing  sight  of  the  past,  ministered  of  this  to  tiieir  fel- 
lows; and  to  others  yet  to  come,  (1  Peter  1  :P2).  As  is  now  realized 
throughout  all  Christendom. 

It  is  a  singular  fact  that  Virgil,  if  he  had  never  read  the  writings  of 
Moses  and  the  ])rophets,  or  in  some  way  had  become  familiar  with 
their  teachings,  should  agree  with  them  so  well — or  with  the  Bible 
history — in  n^gard  to  the  happy  state  of  civilization  mankind  once 
enjoyed;  and  from  which  they  declined.  A  descent  as  he  describes 
comparable  to  corruptijig  gold  to  silver,  and  silver  to  brass,  and  brass 
to  iron.  Which  is  certniidy  true,  according  to  the  Bible,  on  the  same 
subject;  with  the  exception  of  those  we  have  mentioned  as  preserv- 
ing their  civilization. 

And  the  hope  he  indulged,  in  a  vague  waj^  thnt  another  golden 
age  was  coming,  is  comparable,  only  i!i  a  less  degree,  to  the  teach- 
ings of  the  prophets  on  that  subject.  Which  is  now  a  common  belief 
and  hope  aniong  Christians  through  the  progress  of  the  gospel  of 
C'hrist;  which,  to  a  greater  or  less  extent,  has  been  accomplishing 
that  fact  all  the  while.  The  prophets  saw  through  it,  by  inspiration 
of  (rod,  to  this  present  time,  and  far  ])eyon(l  us. 

It  is  really  strange  that  Virgil's  line  of  thought,  on  this  subject,  is 
so  Hebraistic,  unless  he  had  read  their  Scriptures,  or  had  been 
brought  in  contact  with  the  Jews. 

(Jod  helped  him  !  Doubtless  he  filled  iiis  mission.  And  well  at 
that  in  the  sight  of  (lod,  as  well  as  in  the  judgment  of  men. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


\\'hethkr  we  are  to  have  a  millenium  or  not,  it  is  a  common  belief 
that  through  the  spread  of  the  gospel  over  the  earth  the  world  is  to 
experience  a  better  age;  a  time  when  wars  shall  cease.  When  imple- 
ments of  war  shall  be  put  to  useful  arts  of  life,  instead  of  destroy- 
ing life.  When  the  military  art  and  science  of  war  shall  live  oidy  in 
history.  When  peace  and  her  happy  fruition  shall  be  e)i joyed  by  all 
the  brotherhood  of  the  human  family. 

The  increase  of  knowledge  will  l)ring  more  and  more  confirmatory 
eviilences  of  the  truth  of  the  Bible  to  all  men  ;  which  will  hasten  that 
happy  period,  as  well  as  do  all  direct  means.  For  if  there  is  any- 
thing in  this  world  founded  upon  knowledge,  as  well  as  upon  faith,  it 
is  that  system  of  relitrion  taught  in  the  Bible.  (John  17:'5,  1  Cor.  1: 
ID-^i).  2  (^or.  1  :7,  11,  18  and  5:1.  Phil.  J^T-l;"),  1  John  1  rl-Ji,  Heb.l:!- 
•8,  2:1-1,  11  :]-'l  C'Ol.  2:8,  2i),  22,  25).  'I'ake  these  together  and  the 
proposition  is  well  sustained.  It  is  the  wisest,  the  most  knowing, 
thing  on  earth.  O,  that  science  and  philosophy  would  tarry,  as  at 
Jerusalem,  until  they,  too,  were  indued  with  power  from  on  high! 
Then  would  they  be  wise  unto  the  truth,  and  knowing  unto  salvation. 

And  in  addition  to  the  written  evidence,  every  converted  soul  has 
the  witness  in  himself;  he  knows  by  his  own  personal  experience. 
The  Bible,  when  thus  understood,  makes  not  fools;  but  wise  unto 
salvation. (2  Tim.  9:17,  John  5  :m).  ,.  ,    t 

Both  Confucius  and  Virgil  are  witnesses  of  the  decbne  of  which  1 


188. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


have  been  writing.  It  bej^^an  with  the  introduction  of  idohitry.  Sab- 
aism  was  the  first  form  of  idohitry.  It  is  alluded  to,  no  doubt,  in  Job 
81:26-28,  den.  81:19,  Jer.  7:17-20,  2  Kings  17:16-18.  According  to 
Josephus,  Nimrod  rebelled  against  Providence  in  order  to  attach  men 
to  himself,  so  that  he  might  tyrannize  over  them,  which  laid  the  foun- 
dation for  this  first  species  of  idolatry.  Like  the  devil  at  first,  and 
Jereboam  afterward — in  disguise — to  deceive. 

Some  writers  call  it  religion.  If  I  should  do  so,  I  should  fear  that 
I  offended  (fod;  for  He  regards  idolatry  as  the  worst  of  all  sins,  being 
directly  against  His  majesty  and  His  claims  upon  all  men  for  their 
homage  and  service.  And  therefore  no  sin  is  more  heinous  in  His 
sight,  except  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost — which  is  the  essen- 
tial divine  nature  of  Deity.  (Mark  8:29.)  Which,  according  to  the 
fixed  laws  of  His  Kingdom,  can  never  be  forgiven;  neither  in  this 
world,  neither  in  the  world  to  come.     (Matt.  12:82). 

In  the  New  Testament,  the  foundation  of  the  world  sometimes 
means  the  beginning  of  the  Mosaic  dispensation,  and  the  end  of  the 
world  sometimes  means  the  close  of  that  dispensation  ;  while  the  world 
to  come  sometimes  means  the  age  of  the  Messiah.  As  in  Hebrews 
ninth  chapter  and  25  and  26  verses,  ''Nor  yet  that  he  should  offer 
himself  often,  as  the  high  priest  entereth  into  the  holy  place  every 
year  with  blood  of  others;  for  then  must  he  often  have  suffered  since 
the  foundation  of  the  world;  but  now  once  in  the  end  of  the  world 
hath  he  appeared  to  put  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself."  We 
know  that  event  occurred  in  the  end  of,  not  this  material  world,  the 
.lewish  dispensation.  And  as  in  1  Cor.  10:11,  "Upon  whom  the  ends 
of  the  world  are  come.''  And  who  were  they,  but  the  generation  in 
which  the  apostles  lived?  And  the  literal  world  yet  stands.  And  in 
Heb.  2:5,  "For  unto  the  angels  hath  He  not  put  in  subjection  the 
world  to  come,  whereof  we  speak,'' alluding  to  Acts  7:58  and  to 
Gal.  8:19;  or  to  the  fact  taught  there.  And  the  apostle  doubtless 
means  by  the  world  to  come  the  dispen.sation  of  Messias  in  compari- 
son with  the  Mosaic  dispensation. 

So  in  Matthew  12:82,  I  think  our  Savior  means  neither  now,  in 
this  dispensation,  neither  in  the  age  of  the  Messiah,  as  they  under- 
stood it.  Or  as  we  sometimes  say,  the  dispensation  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  beginning  at  Jerusalem  at  the  first  Christian  pentecost. 

The  Jews  thought  when  the  Messiah  should  appear  and  dwell 
among  them  the  changes  would  be  so  radical  it  would  be  like  a  new 
world  to  them,  and  called  it  the  world  to  come.  And  as  Isaiah 
61:1-8  speaks  of  the  great  mercies  of  Him  when  He  should  come, 
Christ  informs  them  that  not  even  then  sluill  a  single  case  of  blas- 
phemy against  the  Holy  Ghost  be  pardoned.  His  form  of  speech 
made  it  more  emphatic  to  his  apostles,  disciples,  and  to  all  the 
other  Jews. 

There  is  no  text  of  Scripture  that  teaches  in  any  way  that  any  sin 
can  be  forgiven  after  death.  "The  son  of  man  hath  power"— author- 
ity—"on  earth  to  forgive  sins,"  (Luke  5:24),  and  nowhere  else. 
Ihey  cannot  be  forgiven  after  the  soul  leaves  this  state  of  existence 
There  is  no  change  of  venue  allowed  in  His  jurisdiction  The  judg- 
ment at  the  last  day  Is  not  to  find  whether  guilty  or  not  ^milty    but 


/ 


THE  STORY  OF  OREATTOX. 


189. 


( 


K 


1 


to  vindicate  God's  justice  to  all  mankind,  to  reward  His  people,  and 
to  determine  the  destiny  of  all  the  rest. 

Luke  12:59  shows  the  impossibility  of  any  being  pardoned  out  of 
that  state  of  torment  which  is  now  future  to  us;  as  is  also  shown  in 
the  sixteenth  chapter  and  twenty-sixth  verse  of  the  same  book ;  and 
others  teach  the  same.  Now  is  the  judgment  of  this  world,  (John 
12  :81).  It  is  now  on  trial,  as  in  a  process  of  law.  The  guilty  and 
repentant  can  be  and  are  forgiven  ;  while  the  stubborn  and  unrelent- 
ing are  held  under  sentence,  to  be  duly  executed.  The  doctrine  of 
future  probation,  as  that  of  purgatory,  has  no  foundation  in  the 
Scriptures. 

Now  Nimrod — says  Josephus — taught  them  to  ascribe  their  pros- 
perity to  themselves  instead  of  (rod's  providence.  An  error  that  some, 
who  would  be  wise,  fall  into  at  this  time.  In  spite  of  it,  however,  the 
goodness  of  the  Lord  suffers  them  to  prosper.  Yet  their  vain  hearts 
abuse  that  goodness,  and  grow  harder  still. 

From  trusting  in  themselves  they  became  less  wise,  and  concluded 
a^  the  sun,  moon  and  stars  had  influences  upon  their  seasons,  that 
they  should  attribute  their  prosperity  to  them.  Then  soon  they 
went  to  worshipping  these — serving  the  host  of  heaven.  Every  act 
is  first  conceived  in  an  idea.  (Matt.  15:19).  At  first,  in  this  down- 
ward scale,  besides  worshipping  the  (U-eator,  they  worship  the  crea- 
ture too,  served  both  ;  so  they  seemed  to  think.     (Rom.  1 :28). 

Gradually  they  left  off  more,  and  more,  the  worship  of  (Jod.  And 
more,  and  more,  worshipping  the  creature;  until  they  left  off  the 
worship  of  (xod  quite  altogether;  many  of  them  entirely.  The  most 
degraded  tribes  misled  by  their  own  genius,  and  the  help  of  the 
devil,  went  into  every  conceivable  form  of  idolatry  they  could  invent. 
Solomon,  perhaps,  alluded  to  it  when,  by  inspiration,  he  said  God 
made  man  upright,  ])ut  they  have  sought  out  many  inventions.  (Keel. 
7:29).  The  inspired  writer  may  have  reference,  in  part,  at  least,  to 
idols,  as  none  of  the  wonderful  modern  inventions  had  obtained  them, 
and  his  language,  too,  is  in  the  past  tense. 

In  those  times  the  inventive  genius  of  mankind  was  fostered  by 
abnormal  religious  ideas  and  applied  to  the  improvement  of  idola- 
trous worship.     And  not  the  less  so  because   it   became   a   lucrative 

business. 

But  by  and  by,  as  Christianity  had  cut  off  the  profits  of  those  in- 
ventors, craftsmen  and  traders,  (Acts  19 :28-88),  they  applied  their 
genius  to  the  useful  inventions,  as  gunpowder,  printing,  steam  power, 
Telegraphy  and  its  collaterals,  and  to  numerous  artistic  inventions, 
meclianical,  chemical,  agricultural  and  domestic. 

Thus  Providence  utilized  the  love  of  worldly  gain  in  mankind  to 
bring  about  the  wonderful  strides  in  secular  improvements  that  have 
obtained  in  these  later  centuries  of  civilization  turning  of  it  in  its 
analysis  to  the  furtherance  of  His  Gospel.  For  the  benefit  of  all 
these  things  has  linked  the  nations  together  as  never  before;  and 
prepares  them  all  tlie  more  for  the  work  of  the  CJiurch. 

The  world  is  indebted  to  the  religious  ideas  in  mankind  for  her 
first  and  best  improvements.  Opposition  to  the  progress  of  Christian 
idea^  stimulated  worldly  science  and  philosophy  to  put  on  their  mod- 


UK). 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


ern  ^Towtli.     The  Alnii«,'ht.y  1ms,  and  will,  use  it  more,  and  more,  for 

His  own  ;;lorv.  ,     , 

H  the  Roman  church  could  could  develop  so  much  of  the  artistic 
under  semi-pa<,'a>i  ideas,  what  could  she  do  if  she  had  only  Christian 
ideas:  A  pitv^she  has  not.  But  the  spread  of  useful  intelligence  in 
her  laity  will  root  out  that  semi-paganism.  The  priests  know  it,  too; 
hence  their  opposition  to  that  knowledge  being  obtained  by  them. 

Yet  in  the  midst  of  all  this  confusion  and  darkness  there  remained 
some  traces,  in  idea  and  practice,  of  the  true  religion,  as  so  many 
pointers  to  the  coming  of  Christ;  for  all  of  them  carried  with  them 
wherever  they  went,  in  some  way  or  other,  an  expression  of  their 
belief  in  that  first  promise  made  to  fallen  humanity :  the  seed  of  the 
woman  shall  bruise  the  serpent's — Satan's — head.     (Gen.  8:15). 

Apollo  is  represented  as  destroying  python—the  serpent.  The  seed 
thought  of  tliat  idea,  no  doubt,  came  from  the  i?arden  of  Eden.  In  the 
prophecy,  and  in  the  promise  of  it,  the  conflict  between  Christ  and 
Satan  is  fore<-ast,  and  the  subjection  of  Satan  and  the  eternal  victory 
of  Christ  over  him  is  foretold.  This  was  handed  down,  as  understood 
by  Adam  and  Eve,  from  one  generation  to  another,  until  it  was  ac- 
complished and  made  a  complete  triumph  in  the  land  of  Canaan, 
when  by  His  death  He  redeemed  man,  rose  from  the  dead,  and 
ascended  on  high.  The  belief  of  it  lived  among  all  nations  and  tribes 
of  men.  And  they  were  not  surprised  when  the  news  of  it  reached 
them  as  a  fact. 

The  artist  embodied  this  doctrine  in  a  mythological  way  in  the 
statue  of  Apollo  Belvidere,  representing  him  as  the  Son  of  God  in 
this  vague  manner  conquering  python — the  serpent.  And  man  re- 
deemed and  saved  through  ('iirist  Jesus,  tlie  seed  of  the  woman,  shall 
triumph  over  Satan.  Tliat  is  the  true  doctrine;  of  which  he  and  the 
rest  of  them  had  an  indistinct  idea,  and  labored  to  express  it.  That 
idea  was  struggling  i'or  expression  until  the  light,  and  the  facts,  of 
the  Gospel  liberated  it.  Through  His  Gospel  Christ  Jesus  is  the 
restorer. 

The  imaginary  garden  of  the  gods,  too,  got  its  seed  thought,  no 
doubt,  from  the  story  of  Kden's  garden.  Nor  did  they  have  to  wait 
for  a  Moses  to  write  it  either.  Antiquity,  long  before  Moses,  had  it 
as  delivered  to  the  first  of  men. 

And  the  Eiysian  Fields,  doubtless,  in  their  first  thoughts,  were 
suggested  by  the  story  of  the  garden  of  Eden.  And  from  the  same 
source  came  also  the  original  idea  of  tiie  Fair  Hunting  Grounds,  no 
doubt.  And  so  did,  doul)tless,  the  idea  of  the  beautiful  Asphodels  of 
Paradise  receive  its  initial  llMHigiit  from  the  same  source.  I  believe 
all  these  ideas  among  the  ditferent  people  of  earth  had  their  origin  in 
the  story  of  Eden.  As  in  Asia,  and  in  Africa,  so  in  America — every- 
where— men  have  some  kind  of  history — either  written  or  verbal — of 
the  facts  of  Creation,  of  Kden,  of  the  flood,  and  of  the  tower  of  Babel 
— of  all  these  leading  primal  facts,  as  are  recorded  in  the  book  of 
Genesis. 

So  if  the  old  Roman  adage  be  true,  "Vox  populi.  vox  dei" — "The 
voice  of  the  people  is  the  voice  of  God."  Or  if  anotlier  (juite  like  it 
be  true,  "What  everybody  believes  must  be  so,*'   then   it    is   proven. 


/ 


( 


I) 


^. 


/ 


( 


( 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION 


101. 


To  the  point  of  the  truth  of  all  thes4^  facts,  as  found  in  the  Bible,  we 
have  a  tjuite  universal  consensus  of  opinion  of  all  mankind. 

In  chapter  six  of  this  work  we  (pioted  a  part  of  a  Mexican 
legend  from  Rev.  I).  \V.  (Jarter,  in  Our  Review  of  Missions,  October 
number,  1899,  page  1st,  in  which  a  part  of  the  account  of  the  flood 
and  a  part  of  the  story  of  Babel's  tower  are  blended  together;  show- 
ing that  so  much  of  those  truths  had  thus  lived  until  the  present 
time,  while  the  rest  of  them  were  lost. 

This  primal  faith  and  hope,  though  so  unfortunately  situated  as  it 
was  in  heathen  hearts  and  minds,  gave  birth  to  their  poetry,  oratory 
and  philosophy,  and  was  woven  into  their  arts,  \\'hatever  of  truth, 
whatever  of  good,  among  them  are  found  are  as(rribable  to  that  Divine 
providence  which  in  long  sulfering  did  not  allow  the  light  to  go  out 
entirely.     (Acts  1^:15  and  17 -MO). 

The  light  on  this  line  culminated  in  erecting. an  altar  in  Greece  to 
the  unknown  God;  supposed  to  have  been  reared  by  Socrates.  A 
memorable  shaft  in  the  midst  of  her  many  idols,  as  a  concrete  ex- 
pression of  his  faith  in  the  true  God.  Who,  like  .John  the  Baptist, 
was  martyred  for  the  truth  he  held.  While  his  crystallized  faith  fur- 
nished a  text  for  the  little  Hebrew  who  afterward  brought  them  the 
Gospel  of  Christ;  which  is  the  true  light  that  light eth  every  man  _ 
that  cometh  into  the  world.  (John  1  :9).  For  let  it  not  be  denied 
that  God  is  the  only  light  that  this  world  has  ever  had.  (John 
8:12).  The  Lord  (Jod  is  a  sun.  (Ps.  84:11).  He  is  intellect- 
ually as  well  as  morally  and  spiritually.  (Is.  49:6).  Before  Christ 
appeared  in  flesh,  in  some  way  or  other,  in  some  degree  or  other,  the 
light  shone  in  the  heathen  darkness,  and  the  darkness  as  afterward, 
(j'ohn  4:0),  and  as  now,  comprehended  it  not.  Yet  itshined,  and  still 
shines,  whether  man  sees  it  or  not. 

Some  ask  for  a  miracle  to  enable  them  to  believe  in  the  light  which 
has  already  ])een  given.  But  they  know  not  what  they  ask;  for  if 
they  will  not  believe  now,  neither'would  they  believe  if  the  miracle 
should  be  performed  ])efore  their  eyes.  They  deceive  themselves. 
(Luke  16  :81).  More  evidence  would  do  them  no  good.  If  it  ever  be- 
comes necessary  He  will  give  it ;  for  what  man  cannot  do  for  him- 
self the  Lord  will  do  for  him. 

Before  the  apostle  that  day  was  the  learning  of  Athens  and  of  (Jreece. 
"^^'hom  therefore  ye  ignorantly  worship,  him  declare  I  unto  you," 
quoting'  their  poetrv,  which  was  inspired,  or  born  in  them,  through 
the  faith  in  the  (Jod  unknown  to  them.  So  then  after  an  ignorant 
manner  they  worshipped  (h)d.  Neither  did  they  deny  it;  but  a  num- 
ber of  them  found  Him  that  day,  as  the  speaker  had  before. 

No  doubt  according  to  the  statement  of  Paul,  many  of  them  were 
honestly  seeking  after  God;  striving  for  the  attainment  of  truth  and 
virtue— feeling  after  (lod.  Thus  far  they  were  prepared  to  hear  the 
crosnel,  for  every  sounding  they  had  made  showed  that  the  bottom 
had  not  yet  been  reached;  and  they  had  a  latent  belief  that  it  would 
be  found  Those  who  believed  Paul's  preaching  found  it  in  the  gos- 
pel of  (^Jirist  Jesus.  Here  is  the  true  foundation;  laid  by  council  of 
the  eternal  (Jodhead  in  Jesus  Christ.     According  to  St.   Luke  s  his- 


192. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


tory,  the  cfospel  was  received  in  Atliens  with  less  opposition  than  in 
any  other  heathen  city  mentioned  by  him. 

The  wliole  heathen  world  is  like  the  prodi^^al  son.  Our  Savior  so 
represents  it.  (Luke  25:16-82.)  Christianity  calls  her  back;  meets 
her  afar  otr;  welcomes  her  home  af,'ain  ;  while  many,  like  the  older 
brother,  «?rumbles  if  she  comes.  Butshe  is  returning  to  her  Father's 
hou.se.  Lo,  swiftly  she  comes!  And  shall  come  more  swiftly,  as  the 
prophet  says,  ''who  are  these  that  fly  as  a  cloud,  and  as  the  doves  to 
their  windows?^'  (Is.  G0:8),  which  is  upon  the  idea  that  they  had 
left  the  ark  of  safety.  And  now  in  rapture's  vision  he  sees  them 
swiftly  flyincr  back.  From  that  savage  state  of  life  into  which  Satan 
and  idolatry  have  led  them,  they  shall  return  as  gentle,  harmless 
doves. 

Christianity  shall  produce  that  change.  In  them  it  will  be  a 
return  to  the  original  faith  and  hope  which  their  fathers  long  a^ro  left 
and  a  redemption  to  the  .same  civilization,  too,  which  their  fathers 
forsook  long  ages  ago;  which  will  be  perfected  in  Christianity.  For 
Christianity,  like  an  holy  ferment,  is  to  leaven  and  restore  her  to  her 
Knfhers  family  again.  Oh  how  happy  she  will  be  when  she  gets 
Jiome  again  !  ^ 

Out  of  the  woods,  out  of  the  thick  woods;  out  of  darkness;  out  of 
fnWuVr  '^^'^''^'^;^^}^'^<^^^  reunion;  and  to  the  old  civilization, 
fulhlled  and  perfected  in  Jesus,  the  (Christ,  by  means  of  Christianilv 


CHAPTER  X, 


1  Bi:uKVK   am  setth^d,  ibat  the  Hebrew  was  the  Xoahic,  antedilu- 
vian   Adam.c  language  used  by  all  mankind  until  the   dNoers^^^^^^^^ 

ilis   while  hIp'h' h"'  ^'anaanite  and  Arabic,  I  think,  are  dialects  of 

this,  ^^h,!e  the  Hebrew  is  the  general    language— the  main  stem     of 

the  original  speech  of  the  world.  t^  mam  srem,   of 

Sevenfold    seventy  fold,  .seventy  times  .seven,  are  Hebraisms     and 

4  J^.i^f^nT  'IT'''  ?^r/'^^'  ^^"^'^'^^^'^^  ''  the'antednuvu'  r   ((fJ^. 
^.Jo-24,)  and  of  the  postdiluvians  too,  until  the  confusion  of  the  la 

fuTj^  V^''^'-'''''.'J^  ^''^''^'     ^^'''  termmultiplv  was  h  soused  bv 
the  Cre^ltor  Himself  in  Cen.  1  :2S  and  ;M(>,   and^8-17  and  9  1     and 

from^m    they   got    the    idea   of    Hiultiplication,"^  irhin^cf  in 

If  tlie  Judge  of  all  had  not  have  instructed  them,  he  could  not  have 
held     heni  accountable.     He   instructed   Adam  and   P>e     hence   He 
punished  them  for  their  disobedience  and  transgression.    If  Cahi  had 
no    have  known,  or  had  not  have  had  the  opport'unitv   and  thp    Ki    f 
to  know,  that  it  was  wrong  to  kill,  he  h.aZtheen   pun  \hed   for  iV^ 
So  If  the  antediluvians  had   not  have  been   instructed   in  «!    ?^ 
things  for  which  the  Almighty  chai-ed  wickec  nes^nnnn   fhJ^       ""'^ 
for  which  He   punished  them,  then    He  3rnot   h«vp    i     /   """I 
them.     The  inevitable  conclusion  is   they  hThLf.nffl^^^^   c  est.oyed 
tions  from  the  great  Judge  of  all  on  a  1  these  su  1  s     An^f  .'^ 
have  no  account  when  writing  was  introc^^i^ced-as  e^^^^^^         ^n,ce^,^e 
written  gives  evidence  that  ^t...,.e^^^:turZTZ^l^^ 


J  ( 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


193. 


i 


1 


; 


^1 


taught  to  Adam  from  the  tir.st.  As  Christ  wrote,  (.John  8:0-8,)  but 
did  not  go  to  school,  nor  learn  from  man — so  they  said  "He  never 
learned."  And  long  before  He  wrote  with  His  finger  the  ten  com- 
mandments on  tables  of  stone — polished  by  miraculous  power,  as  they 
had  been  so  produced — gave  them  to  Moses  on  Mt.  Sinai,  (Ex.  81  :18, 
»>2  :1 0-19  and  o4  : 1.  The  second  which  were  preservad  in  the  ark  of 
the  covenant,  were  polished  by  Moses.  (])eut.  10:1-').  Here  are  the 
iirst  properly  written  sentences  we  know  of.  Hut  it  does  not  follow 
from  this  that  this  same  authority  did  not  teach  it  to  the  first  of  men. 
If  the  Hebrew  is  the  .sacred  huiguage  in  which  the  Lord  made  known 
His  will  to  Abraham,  to  Isaac,  to  .Jacob,  to  Job,  to  Moses  and  the 
prophets'  then  it  must  have  l)een  the  language  the  Lord  used  when 
Enoch  walked  with  Him  iMi  years,  and  in  which  He  conversed  with 
Noah;   the  first  language  spoken  on  earth,  and  the  first  ever  written. 

It  is  said  tlie  Hebrew  was  the  first  syllabic,  alphabetic  language. 
By  common  consent  such  language  existed  !;')()()  years  before  Christ. 
The  expression  that  "Moses  was  learned  in  all  the  wisdom  of  the 
Egyptians,"  (Acts  7  :22),  implies  a  written  curriculum  of  learning. 
And  of  course  that  implies  a  previous  course  of  development  in  this 
art.  And  where  do  we  find  its  beginning?  In  Adam?  It  is  from  the 
(h'eator  Himself,  The  source  of  all  knowledge  and  wisdom.  The 
light  of  tlie  world  from  the  beginning.  John  1:4,  "In  Him  was  life; 
and  the  life  was  the  light  of , men." 

It  does  not  seem  that  Noah  could  have  ])een  able  to  retain  all  the 
instructions  in  regard  to  building  the  ark,  as  given  to  him  of  the 
l^ord,  without  i!i  some  way  or  other  describing  them  on  .some  kind  of 
material,  to  have  them  for  reference  in  his  construction  and  work. 

Nor  does  it  appear  that  they  could  have  kept  the  chronology  of  the 
antediluvian  world  as  well  as  they  did  without  some  method  of  record- 
ing the  facts  as  they  occurred,  and  of  preserving  them  for  future 
reference.  ? 

If  they  did  not,  then,  it  would  re(]uire  a  fuller  revelation  of  all  the 
facts  to  be  given  directly  to  Moses  of  (iod  than  otherwise. 

It  is  evident,  and  admitted  by  historians,  that  the  oldest  books  of 
the  Scriptures  are  the  oldest  books  in  existence. 

Others  no  doubt  copied  from  them.  The  next  oldest  are  in  kindred 
languages  of  Sliemitic  origin.  None  of  the  (rreek  and  Roman  tribes 
knew  the  art  of  writing  earlier,  it  is  said,  than  9(K)  years  before  the 
l)irth  of  Christ.  It  is  said  the  alphabet  came  to  the  (ireeks  through 
Shemitic  sources.  And  from  the  (Greeks  to  the  Romans,  .as  any  one 
may  find  by  taking  the  pains  to  see. 

As  to  the  Divine  origin  of  the  Bible,  there  is  a  convincing  proof  in 
this:  In  those  apocryphal  times,  between  the  Old  and  the  New  Tes- 
taments, the  .Jews  had  much  association  with  the  Creeks  and  Romans, 
and  literature  was  then  at  its  best  in  both  of  the.se  nations,  and  the 
books  of  the  apocrypha  were  the  best  the  uninspired  genius  of  the 
Jews  could  produce;  which  in  comparison  with  their  inspired  books, 
much  of  it  reads  like  foolishness.  Whatever  of  good  doctrine,  pre- 
cepts, piety  or  principles  found  in  them  are  taken  from  the  inspired 

books.  ,       ,^  .1 

So  can  we  say  in  regard  to  the  writings  of  the  Apostolic  fathers 


liU. 


THE'STOKY  OF  CREATION". 


whon  pomparo'l  with  the  inspired  writinj^s  of  the  Xow  Testament. 
Thiit  shovv's  that  inspiration  was  then  suspended;  this,  that  it  was 
then  en. led.  J)aniel  liad  foretold  that  the  vision  and  the  prophecy 
should  cease  about  that  time;  while  according  to  history  miracles 
ceased  then  also. 

The  so-called  revelations  and  miracles  that  have  been  since  are 
frauds.  As  St.  Paul  calls  them,  "Lyini,'  wonders.''  (2  Thes.  2:9). 
That  is  what  they  are  by  whomsoever  claimed;  and  in  all  such  im- 
posters  Ohriift's  words  are  proven  true,  for  He  said  they  would  come. 

If  the  Hebrew  had  no  alphabet  before  the  Lord  jj^ave  the  written 
law  to  Moses.  He  «rave  it  one  then,  for  the  purposes  of  relii^non,  and 
the  others,  doubtless,  copied  after  this  model :  each  adjusting  it  to  the 
lini^uistic  peculiarities  of  eafh  as  best  they  could. 

It  is  admitted  that  those  nations  nearer  of  kin  to  the  Hebrews  used 
letters  before  others  more  remotely  related  to  them.  Phcenicians, 
Assyrians,  Syrians  and  (/haldiea!is;  the  Phcenicians  takini?  preced- 
ence over  all  the  rest  on  the  seas,  spread  the  art  of  writing  more 
extensively  than  any  other  people. 

It  is  said  the  Oreeks  learned  from  them  to  construct  their  alpha- 
bet, and  tluit  the  Romans  learned  the  use  of  letters  from  the  (Ireeks. 

The  reason  why  the  Shemites  took  precedence  over  the  rest  is  that 
outside  of  the  Hebrew  people,  the  others  of  them  kept  more  closely 
to  the  original  doctrine,  and  form  of  \\;orship,  and  manner  of  life 
toward  God  than  the  other  nations  of  the  earth.  It  is  a  true  maxim, 
"the  worship  of  (fod  exalteth  a  nation."  This  is  true  also,  "A  peo- 
ple will  not  rise  higher  than  the  object  they  worship."  So  it  is  then 
to  the  interest  of  all  civil  rulers  to  encourage  the  worship  of  God 
among  their  people.  It  shows  good  statesmanship  in  all  who  do  so; 
that  they  study  and  seek  the  good  of  their  people.  For  truly  as  it  is 
written,  "Happy  is  that  people,  whose  God  is  the  Lord.  That  our 
sons  may  be  as  plants  grown  up  in  their  youth;  that  our  daughters 
ma}^  be  as  corner  stones,  polished  after  the  similitude  of  a  palace; 
that  our  garners  may  be  full,  affording  all  manner  of  store;  that  our 
sheep  may  bring  forth  thousands  and  ten  thousands  in  our  streets; 
that  our  oxen  niay  be  strong  to  labor;  that  there  be  no  breaking  in, 
nor  going  out;  that'there  be  no  complaining  in  our  streets.  Yea, 
happy  is  that  people,  that  is  in  such  a  case."  (Ps,  14-1::12-15).  If  all 
the  people  would  truly  worship  God  they  would  be  in  such  a  happy 
case.  And  there  is  no  other  way  to  be  so,  only  that.  All  their 
boasted  improvements  are  vain  without  Him,  His  Book  and  His  true 
worship. 

In  the  early  annals  of  the  Christian  era  we  find  that  the  Arabic 
had  a  large  precedence  over  all  others;  and  why?  Because  when 
they  were  permitted  by  Providence  to  subdue  a  people  they  tried  to 
destroy  all  their  books  and  to  enforce  their  own  upon  them.  And  all 
of  theirs  were  Mahometan. 

But  I  understand  the  Bible  to  teach  that  a  system  of  belief  planted 
by  the  sword,  and  defended  by  the  sword,  shall  perish,  and  that  by 
the  sword.  (Matt.  26  riVi).  If  not  directly,  it  means  this  much  at 
least,  that  when  the  sword  is  withdrawn  from  around  it,  it  will  per- 
is'h  of  itself.     Moslemism,  I  think,  is  one  thing  which  shall  become 


/I  ( 

'   I  I 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


l'.)5. 


i 


'•I  u 


extinct.  However  well  established  it  seems  to  be.  or  stronglv  de- 
fended,  yet  it  will  have  to  give  place  to  something  better. 

But  philosophically  speaking,  Christianity  is  a  living  force;  she  is 
bound  to  prevail;  to  spread  over  the  whole  earth.  That  spiritual 
force  which  God  has  put  in  her  under  His  Holy  Spirit  is  the  greatest 
power  in  the  world. 

I  have  often  thought  that  as  a  natural  force  electricity  is  nearest 
akin  to  it  of  anything  in  nature.  Electricity  seems  to  b^  the  very 
soul  of  inanimate  nature.  There  is  no  honest  psychologist  but  will 
admit  that  the  Spiritual  is  the  strongest  force  in  mankind.  Xext  to 
it  is  the  Tuental  force  in  the  liuman  race.  When  these  two  are  acted 
upon  and  guided  by  tlie  Spirit  of  (Jod  it  is  the  mightiest  power  on 
earth;  yet  it  is  entirely  harmless.  It  is  true,  however,  when  either 
t)f  these  powers  in  the  human  family  falls  a  prey  to  some  cruel  preju- 
dice it  can  do  a  great  deal  of  harm;  but  when  they  are  controlled  by 
the  Spirit  of  God,  He  holds  them  in  a  just  balance  and  no  harm 
is  done. 

It  becomes  all  those  who  presume  to  criticise  Christianity  in  his- 
tory, as  a  whole,  or  in  her  divisions,  to  be  careful  to  separate  the  real 
from  the  fanatical.  Unless  they  have  the  fairness  to  do  this,  they 
are  liable  to  njake  up  a  wrong  verdict.  But  infidels  will  not  have  any 
Christianity  because  there  is  some  spurious  Christianity.  As  well 
say  they  will  not  have  any  Tnited  States  money,  because  there  is 
counterfeit  money  under  that  name.  As  no  counterfeit  is  money 
because  it  is  not  authorized,  so  nothing  is  religion  that  is  not  author- 
ized of  the  Almighty. 

When  the  Scriptures  teach  in  prophecy  that  C'hristianity  shall  rule 
the  nations  as  with  a  rod  of  iron,  it  only  means  that  she  shall  be  an 
instrument  in  God's  hand  for  i)ura'ing  out  the  wickedness  that  is  in 
them.  That  will  do  them  no  harm.  I  believe  the  time  is  coming 
when  all  intelligent  nations  will  admit  the  superiority  of  C-hristianity 
over  every  thougiit  of  man,  and  acknowledge  her  supreme  usefulness 
in  all  the  departments  of  life.  With  one  consent  they  will  worship 
the  Lord.  Would  you  be  happy?  Then  fall  into  line  and  follow 
on  to  know  the  Lord'.  If,  as  the  Bible  says,  they  all  shall  know  Him 
from  the  least  to  the  greatest;  it  implies  a  spiritual  birth.  Don't 
spend  your  life  in  seeking  something  you  never  get,  because  you  do 
not  submit  to  Christ  for  this,  the  iiew  birth. 


CHAPTER  XI 


JosKh'HUs  says  that  all  consented  for  Adam  to  hold  the  government 
over  all  men  as  long  as  he  lived  ;  and  that  each  of  the  great  patriarchs 
held  it  in  succession  after  him,  until  death  released  them.  That 
Noah  had  it  as  long  as  he  lived,  and  Shem  succeeded  him  in  the  gov- 
ernment. This  seems  to  have  been  a  prevailing  idea  among  the  an- 
cient Hebrews;  and  perhaps  not  without  truth. 

In  reading  the  Bible,  I  have  noticed  that  the  first  form  of  govern- 
ment was  patriarchal ;  doubtless  so  ordered  of  Providence.  It  was 
perfectly  natural.  The  next  He  established  was  theocratic;  with  a 
divine  appointment  of  some  man  to  administer  it.     As   Moses  and 


19(>. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION 


Joshua,  and  on  TO  Samuel  and  Saul.     David  and  Solomon,    thouj^di 
kind's   were  appointed  of  the  Lord — chosen  and  anointed. 

From  the  days  of  Ximrod  most  of  the  tribes  of  men  liad  a  kin<i:  at 
their  head;  and  every  city  in  time  of  Abraham  had  its  kinc^.  Tp  to 
the  time  of  Moses  there  were  no  i^reat  national  powers.  The  children 
of  Israel  overcame  Amalek,  Midian,  Moab  and  Amnion,  and  K^ypt 
then  was  hut  a  small  nation. 

St.  Judtv  seems  to  refer  to  the  belief  in  the  patriarchal  succession 
as  rulers  of  the  old  world,  when  he  says  in  verse  14,  Enoch,  the  sev- 
enth from  Adam.  There  were  two  branches  of  this  ;^'overnment,  after 
Cain  and  his  family  and  posterity  were  separated  from  the  rest,  by 
order  of  the  Lord  of  all.  Kuch  liad  a  patriarchal  liJie  of  rulers,  it 
seems,  until  the  Hood ;  when  ('ain's  were,  it  appears,  all  destroyed. 
After  the  Hood  tlu^y,  it  seems  true,  were  all  luider  the  jijovernment  of 
IS'oali  until  Xinirod  rebelled. 

Since  then  there  has  been  no  universal  <^overnment.  Xeither  Gy- 
rus, Xerxes,  Ak^xander  fior  ('lesar  had  universal  dominion  over  all 
men  ;  nor  will  such  a  thinij;  ever  be.  However,  the  A]:)ocaly])se  seems 
to  teach  that  after  the  happy  millennium  there  will  be  finally  but  two 
;xovernments — (Joi;  and  ALigojj.  (Rev.  20:8).  Vet  Goi;  may  stand 
for  an  indefinite  nund)er  of  nations,  and  Maj^Ojij^  likewise,  instead  of 
only  two. 

In  (Jenesis  14  rIS,  we  read  of  Melchizedek,  kin<r  of  Salem,  and  priest 
of  the  most  hi^h  (rod.  I  believe  he  was  rulinj^,  worshippinij:  and  teach- 
inj^  his  people  after  the  antediluvian  style. 

Who  was  he?  A  RlKenecian,  a  descendant  of  Shetn,  The  Ph(ene- 
cians  invaded  Ki^'ypt,  accordiuL'  to  .losephus,  478  years  before  the 
birth  of  Abraham  ;  subdued  the  first  settlers  of  that  country,  who 
occupied  it  first  after  the  flood;  ruled  Ej^ypt  under  the  title  of  shep- 
herd kin<,'s,  for  T)!!  years,  when  the  natives  j^ot  the  mastery  over  them 
and  expelled  them  from  their  country,  all  who  had  not  been 
destroyed.  A  colony  of  them  settled  in  the  land  of  (^/anaan,  built 
Salem  as  the  seat  of  their  j^overnment.  By  common  consent  amon 
them,  Melchizedek  became  their  king  and  priest. 

A\'hich  was  following  the  order  of  antiquity.  For  doubtless  Adam 
was  de  facto  a  ruler  in  civil  affairs,  and  a  priest  in  Divine  worship, 
<and  had  a  regular  successor  unto  X'oah ;  and,  perhaps,  in  Shem. 
^NFelchizedek  among  his  countrymen,  I  think,  was  in  the  same  line, 
as  far  as  they  could  exalt  him.  Abraham  recognized  him  in  both 
offices. 

From  the  first,  after  the  fall,  men  made  offerings  to  the  Lord. 
Some  must  needs  officiate  for  others.  Cain  and  Abel  offered  sacrifices 
unto  the  Lord.  Did  they  originate  it?  Did  they  learn  it?  And  from 
whom?  The  Lord  instituted  it.  (Gen.  J5:21).  Doubtless  Adam  filled 
this  office  for  his  family.  And  when  Cain  had  a  family  and  home  of 
his  own  he  filled  it  for  his  house;  and  Abel  likewise.  Each  of  them 
had,  it  appears,  his  own  altar— family  altar.  And  doubtless  Seth  had 
his  family  altar — ministered  at  it ;  and  every  one  in  his  ow^n  family  did 
likewise,  no  doubt.  It  appears  that  Cain,  after  his  separation  from 
the  rest,  followed  the  same  system  of  worship,  and  in  civil  affairs 
also,  as  did  Adam  and  Seth  in  their  line.    And  more  than  probable  h 


S 


; 


( 


{ 


& 


<^ 


i 


; 


\ 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATrOX 


107. 


it,  that  in  Seth's  line  after  Adam,  and  in  Cain's  too,  they  exalted  one 
for  his  worth  in  talents,  or  good  (puilities,  as  a  general  ruler  and 
])riest  over  the  rest.  The  judge  also  was  he.  Such  an  one  was  Knos, 
and  Enoch,  and  Noah  in  Seth's  line  of  descent.  And  such  an  one 
was  Mehujael  in  Cain's  line,  no  doubt,  so  \  think. 

Xoah  ofivred  offerings  to  the  I^ord  of  beasts  and  birds  after  the 
flood.  (Cen.  8:2(0-  ^^^  those  offerings  were  represented  all  that  were 
saved  in  the  ark.  The  proceedings  imply  that  it  was  a  thing  com- 
monlv  understood  in  those  davs.  Xo  doubt  but  Xoah  was  the  ruler, 
judge  and  priest  over  them  all  until  Ximrod  rebelled.  And  doubtless 
Shem  succeeded  him  over  "all  the  children  of  Kber,"  or  Jews,  (Gen. 
10:21),  as  long  as  he  lived. 

I  think  Melchizedek  was  in  SIkmu's  line,  in  the  X'^oachic  and 
Adamic  order,  as  ruler,  judge  and  priest;  which  is  the  order  of  the 
Son  of  (iod,  as  King,  .ludge  and  Priest. 

St.  Paul  goes  back  to  Abraham  atid  to  Melchizedek  to  show  the 
precedence  of  Christ's  priesthood  over  the  Aaronic  priesthood.  When 
he  got  back  to  Abraham  he  was  on  much  broader  ground  than  the 
Aaronic,  because  that  embraced  only  the  children  of  Jacob,  while 
Abraham's  embraced  the  children  of  Ksau,  Ishmael  and  all  of  Abra- 
ham's seed.  But  when  he  got  back  to  Melciii/.edek  he  was  on  still 
broader  ground  for  t  hat  was  the  Xoachic  and  tlu^  Adamic  priesthood, 
which  embraced  the  whole  race  of  nuin  from  its  first  cradle — from  its 
first  need  of  priestly  offices. 

Christ  is  called  the  second  Adam,  the  second  X'oah,  and  may  we 
not  say  the  second  .Melchizedek?  St.  Paul  and  David  both,  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  declare  he  is  a  priest  after,  not  the  order  of  Aaron,  but 
of  Melchizedek;  which  was  of  Xoah,  which  was  of  Adam,  which  was 
of  (rod.  (Gen.  :^21).  And  why  did  they  stop  at  Melchizedek?  Be- 
cause he  was  in  the  line  of  the  origiiuil  priesthood  thai  had  ()l)tained 
from  Adam.  And  doubtless  Abraham  so  understood  it  when  he 
recognized  him  as  a  priest  of  the  most  high  (Jod.  And  the  priesthood 
of  C-hrist  is  after  that  order — embracing  all  mankind. 

Genesis  5>:21  implies  the  introduction  of  a  new  disixMisation  ;  a  re- 
demptive dispensation.  The  other  was  a  dispensation  of  obedience — 
followed  by  rewards  and  penalties.  This  is  a  dispensation  of  grace— 
throu<'-h  faith,  repentance  and  regeneration— coming  through  the 
cffices^of  the  second  Adam— (-hrist.  Followed  by  heavenly  rewards 
to  the  faithful,  and  penalties  upon  the  immortal  spirit  of  the  unfaith- 
ful. The  office  of  the  Aaronic  was  to  preserve  truth  in  the  earth  until 
men  could  get  back  to  the  original— not  the  Edenic— but  that  which 
\dam  and  his  race  were  placed  under  after  he  fell  from  the  first— the 
Edenic.  And  all  sinners  since  have  stood  where  Adam  stood  after  he 
fell,  and  if  saved  at  all.  it  is,  as  was  Adam— by  grace. 

NA'hen  St.  Paul  says  .^felchizedek  was  what  he  pronounces  him  to 
be  in  Hebrews  7  M  he  must  mean  historically.  Moses  gives  us  the 
history  of  his  meeting  with  Abraham;  but  J)avid  and  St.  Paul  give 
us  the  theology  of  his  priesthooVl.  ,,       ,  ,  ,    i      i 

\\'hich  according  to  Moses,  and  David,  and  Paul,  was  acknowledged 
of  Abraham  and  of  the  Lord  in  heaven.  And  it  is  the  more  striking 
when  we  consider  that  Melchizedek  used   bread  and  wine;  and  that 


198. 


THE  STORY  OF  OKEATIOX. 


Chri.t  aftenvard  sanctifiod  broad  and  wino  to  sliow  \ho  relations  be- 
twe(Mi  ITi.nsidf  and  His  spirilual  pooplo  m  all  a-os. 

Than  tbo  f.>r.<,oln<,  tbeiv  is  no  otlu>r  ^vay  to  arroun       :^^^^;'^     ^ 
diK-tion  of  that  priesthood  which  was  botoro  the  tnnes  ol    Mo^e^  ami 
W  \Ve  I  nd  that  (^ain  an<l  Abol  sacrifir.d  to  th.  Lord,  and  ^oah, 

;u;d  Abr  hanK  Isaac  and  Jacob,  an<l   .lob.     And    >rosos  P-P^^^    - 
K-vpt  f..r  all  Israel  to  -o  and  otTcr  sacriiicos  to   iuv    Lord   Ixd.nc   the 
L^^i  ical  svsKMU  was  adopted.     So  there  were  altars,  and  s^J^;nhce. 
and  priest;  ]>efore  the  foundation  of  the  Aaro.i.c.     I  he  root  ot  u  all  i^ 
found  in  Oenesis  :J:21  and  no  where  else.  •     .     •      n, . 

Aceoi-dincv  to  tru-  Revised  Version  the  E-yptians  had  priests  in  Uic 
time  of  Joseph.  ((Jon.  llito).  It  was  common  for  the  molatrous 
nations  to  have  priests,  l)Ut  none  of  tiiem  orio-inated  their  priesthood. 
1  hey  all  received  it  from  their  forefathers.  In  rejrular  succession,  no 
doubt,  it  .leseended  from  Adam  to  Xoah.  And  since  t^j;  »^^(>^l 
obtained  amon- them,  as  before,  unto  the  dispersion  at  Babel,  i  hence 
it  was  carried  by  every  divjsioi]  of  the  raci^  and  prevailed  either  m 
puritv  or  corruption  amon<,'  them  all. 

Doubtless  the  antediluvians  had  houses  for  puldic  worship,  i  nose 
in  K'^vpt  were  called  temples  before  the  one  in  .Jerusalem.  Lhe 
altars*sacrif1ces,  temples  and  priests  amoniz:  all  the  Pa^rans  are  only 
eorruptions  of  the  true  system|  of  worship  which  once  prevailed 
amoni,'  all  men  J)efor^'  idohitry  be-'a n—se Vv-ral  centuries  alter  the 
Hood."  Before,  and  then,  they  all  knew  and  worshipped  the  Lord; 
but  these  went  into  idohitry— forsakin,^- t he  Lord— yet  earrylnu;  Mis 
forms  of  worship  with  them— t hou,ii;h  corru})t  in<2:  them  more  and 
more;  which  is  stereotyped  upon  them  unto  tliis  day. 

The  ])eculiarities  of  the  Israelites  be.u:aii  v.ith  Moses  at  Sinai,  Of 
circumcision  with  Abraham  in  the  land  of  Canaan.  But  beyond  th. is 
is*  a  broader  ])asis  for  the  whole  human  race  to  stand  upon  and  rejoice 
in  hope  of  deliverance  from  sin  and  its  curse.  On  v.hich  all  the 
rii^diteous  stood  from  Adam  to  Abraham. 

The  first  contraction  was  in  separatinir  Aln-aham  from  all  the  rest 
of  humaidciu'l.     The  next  was  in   the  call   of   Israel   out    of    KoTpt — 
God's  adopted   son,  (Hos.    11:1);  separated   thereby   from   all   other 
people.     Vet  both  of  these  contractions  were  only  temp;>rnry,  and  so 
desi;^ned. 
^  x£^  After  Christ  had  fulfilled  the  promises  of  God  to  men  in   rejr^ird   to 
V,\?^  'redempiion,  these  bars  \vas  thrown  down  a:i<l  t!ie  heathen  world,  like 
a  prodiiral,  was  sent  for  to  coith^  home — to  iheir  father's  liouso  again. 
As  did  those  wicked  ones  in  .hide's  day,  and  in  Enoch's,  so  do  some 
now.     They  made  hard  speeches  au:ainst  tlu^  Most  ITl^^h  ;   usin*]^  ix^O'dt 
swellin;?  words.  (Verse  KJ).  How  (*ould  they  in  .hide's  time,  or  in  the 
a.i^e  of  Enoch,  use  such  without  an   alphti])et,  or  syllabic,  or  written 
lan;j:uaij:e?     So  do  .some  who  pose  as  learned  today  by  usiuijj  scientilic 
terms.     If  these  are  learneiL  so  were  those,     in  the  liible  all  atheists 
are  pronounced  fools;   and  some  others  too.     They  will  so  find. 

.losephus  says  these  patriarchs  of  old  made  i^-ood  use  of  their  lonij; 
lives;  that  is,  those  whose  aires  are  iriven.  ^.'either  tlieai^os  of  any  of 
the  bad  ones,  northeir  names  are  jriven.   As  it  is  written.  "th(»  memory 


;     ( 


THE  STOKY  (^F  CREATION. 


199. 


{ 


.i 


k 


4 


i  X 


i 


of  the  wicked  \¥*><4d  shjill  rot.''     Perhaps,  too,  they  did  not   live  near 
Sf)  lonp;  as  the  ^ood  ones. 

He  also  says  tht'v  siudied  geometry  and  astronomy;  and  for  this 
last,  it  was  necessary  for  some  to  live  over  (RM.)  years;  for  it  takes  (Hlt^ 
years  to  make  a  j^'reat  year  in  astronomy,  .so  they  could  perfect  their 
observations  of  the  heavens.  This  science  was  well  estabiisiied  before 
the  Hood,  and  tlourished  in  the  tribe  of  Shem  after,  especially  in  the 
land  of  ( 'haldea.  Abraham  was  well  skilled  in  astronomy  and  mathe- 
matics.  This  same  author  says  he  tau<j;ht  the  last  to  the  E^^yptians. 
They  were  indebted  to  the  Hel)rews  for  much  of  their  learnin,<r  a.*i 
well  as  to  improvements  in  their  civilizatMon.  Tiiey  learned  from 
Isaac,  too,  and  from  .Joseph.  They  had  him  from  the  time  he  was 
seventeen  years  old  as  lon.i^-  as  he  lived.  Enjoyed  his  piety,  wisdom 
and  statesmanship.  Then  they  had  .lacob  and  his  family — a  li»^ht  in 
Goshen  to  liirlden  all  E,L»'ypt . 

They  were  indebted  to  Hebrew  labor  for  the  remains  of  their 
ancient  .i^lory.  There  is  no  evidence  that  they  would  have  ha<l  these 
])ut  for  the  Hel)rews. 

It  may  be  too,  a  fact,  that  tlie  Arabians  were  indebted  to  this  ji:reat 
patriarcii  for  their  (>arly  system  of  mathematics,  for  their  great 
ancestor  Ishmael  was  a  son  of  A])raham. 

It  is  evident  that  the  tribes  of  Shem  were  the  holders  of  learning 
and  religion  until  the  Lord  made  choice  of  Abraham.  Then  the 
Abrahamie  branch  of  Shem— of  Eber — from  whom  came  all  tlie 
Hebrews — or  .Jews — as  later  called,  took  the  prece<lence  over  all  the* 
rest  of  mankind  in  religion  and  civili/ation.  While  the  rest  of  the 
Shemites  got  to  doing  so  badly  the  Lord,  to  some  extent,  let  them 
go,  as  Iledid  the  rest  of  mankind  l)efore,  until  He  saw  fit  to  bring  in 
the  full  hope  of  Christianity  for  all  men. 

St.  Paul  gave  charge  to  Timothy,  and  Timothy  was  his  most 
trusted  son  in  the  gospel,  to  bring  liiin  the  parchments,  (2  Tim.  -liUi). 
"The  books,  but  es))ecially  the  parchments."  Xo  doubt  those  parch- 
ments contained  in  some  form  the  matter  of  those  happy  writings 
we  have  over  h.is  signature  in  the  New  Testament  today.  They  were 
the  products  of  inspiration  :  the  most  precious  legacy  he  had  in  a 
tauLi-ible  form.  So,  doubtless,  the  parchments  of  the  Old  World  were 
(.ne'of  the  most  precious  things  to  Xoah  that  he  h.ad  in  the  ark  out- 
side of  the  eiirht  passengers.  The  Lord  would  preserve  them  as  well 
as  the  race.    ''lie  did  not  want  the  race  without  its  history. 

How  dark  this  world  would  be  today  without  the  book  of  (ienesisi 
The  devil  knows  it  too;  that  is  wliy  he  tries  so  hard  to  break  its 
power  from  over  men.  In  that  he  will  never  succeed.  It  is  bound 
to  hold  its  place.  How  unhappy  for  us  if  we  did  not  know  the  Ins-, 
torv  of  our  race  from  its  beoinning!  We  should  thank  the  Lord 
that  He  preserved  it  through  the  deluge  for  us.  The  human  foes  of 
God  of  truth,  of  riLdit  see  its  importance;  the  reason  why  they  want 
to  destroy  it;  as  the  wicked  when  they  intend  to  do  a  mean  tnek 
they  first  put  out  the  light  if  they  can.  A  negro  told  me  himself 
that  the  negroes  do  that  way  so  the  darkness  will  hide  them  and 
their  deeds.     Christ  says  of  all  such  for  that   reason   they   hate  the 


THE  STORY  OF  OKEATTOX. 


•2(H). 

H„,„.     (John  =!:H.-21).      Tl,.t    is   ,1.0   only   reason   men  have   over 

•%:'i::^;j:'::i;;:^;'rJx;:;;;wastiu>r^e.hoha.u^ 

-di,tpresorv<Mlu.n,,  for  wo  ha.-e  thorn  to,U|j.  ,^^  ^^ 

Xoilher  is  it  a  roasonaWo  thin^    o  ^^\^l  ^.  ;>,„,„    „,,,u,soripts 
preaohorortoachero    :u,yc>n.      or      K^^ 

of  any  kind.    Kspeciall.N  nn  umi  tiu  u  ^^H.  n-ilion  of  white  peo- 

..(>  nroof  to  tlio  contrary,  for  many  ol  llio  woiM  <i  lo"    ■■ 

n'^bv  thoso  who  woro   loarno,!   an,!   oountod   o.v,h/.<-a.     ^  on   .na> 

,l,inki-n.har.l,hu.  '  "''^- I"'''' 'l'^-''^"  I'^tn  Vu.m       alT-.irs  an,l  in ' 
Somowant  lo  dony  l>rovi.lenco  his  place  >n  hum.  TairN.u 

their  superstitious  hearts  believe  met.  are  eo nlro  ed  >  ^"7;^  '^ 'i 
npcess  tv  The  le.'itin.ate  results  ..f  which,  if  beli.-ve.l  bj  all,  woi  Id 
be  trdei:,\..y  atl  l.u...a,,  courts,  and  fill  the  world   with   ut.aecounta- 

"']  !":;e'u;;;;:ed,  at.d  do  beUeve,  that  (n.ris.ia,.ity  is  U.e  conserving 

'  EHo  r  if  r t  'ar;:'Zs:;;r r '^^.^f  y^  r 

^on.  of  7.,.ion  that  Uoep^  all  to....l.er.  Tha,  even  ^-^^^^J^ 
earth  tofrether.  All  meet  in  H  ...  He  was  e  ,rst  that  tau„l>t, 
"united  we  stand,  divided  we  fall.  '     (Mark  .i:-'^.-2()). 

In  H  -n  peso..s  of  .litTo.-ent  ton.peran.ents,  different  n«f""»  .'  '^ 
and  <li  fere.,  races  of  n.on  can  stat.d  to.i;etl.or;  .-at.  have  hartr.o,.>  ... 
*ho, ^^l.t  and  act  ion  ;  can  break  over  lit.es  of  thought,  even,  for  the 
iiiiitv  of  tho  Spirit.      (Knh.ii'i).  ,,  ii       i 

()/onobloo.l  He  hath  nuulo  all  .non,  (Act.  17:'-2r>).  By  --^^^ 
He  luith  ve<\vemiH\  \hv  wlioh^  race.  It  was  the  cmnnion  b  ood  o  i a n 
.anetilied,  and  made  effieaeious  by  Divinity  Theretore  He  ^^^^^^^ 
save  them  unto  the  ends  of  tlie  earth-to  Lhe  utmost  bounds-and 
the  end  of  her  days.  And  to  save  all  of  them  unto  the  uttermo^t- 
who  apply  unto  Him-iipon  (lospel  terms— to  all  eternity.  (Isaiah 
4') -'22  and  Hebrews  7  :'25).  »    !•«.         4- 

The  so-e.alled  le-end,  that  theJeNVS  and  the  Gentiles  are  of  cUfTerenfr 
stocks,  I  think,  was  written  by  some  heathen,  after  tliat  distinction 
was  made  between  them  by  the  Lord,  in  the  days  of  Moses,  which 
caused  many  of  the  (lentiles  to  hate  the  Jews. 

Josephus'say^^  that  E^ryptian  and  (ireek  writers  both  tried  to  scan- 
dalize the  Jews  on  account  of  the  hatred  tjiey  had  for  them.  I  think 
this  ^mye  rise  to  the  so-called  le^-endary  story,  that  tht\y  were  diil'er- 
ent  from  all  the  rest  of  mankind  from  the  be^rinninj?;  whereas  this 
difference  befrtm  at  the  time  of  their  exodus  out  of  E<?ypt.  Its  law  is 
written  in  tiiat  book ;   is  repealed  in  the  Xew  Testament. 

It  was  a  sayin«i"  amon<,'  (Jentile  princes,  that  the  Jews  were  different 


) 


( 


THE  STORY  OF  CRKATIOX. 


an. 


/ 


<t 


« 


¥ 


Hon'. 'wI,T.l '' P?''^  J^''  '^'''''    P'-''^^'niuMnselyes  in  this  di.tinc- 

numaii.  (IWher  .>>  rG-N) ;  So  did  many  other  (Jentile  prince^-  -xud 
did  not^want  to  admit  kinship  with  them.  Which  \  think  is  the 
foundation  of  what  [  alluded  to  above  as  a  pretenrled  legend  ' 


GHAPTKR  XII. 

wl^Sj^Jt^'hH  '"'^'r^^  '''  '"^^'^^    with  propriety  inquire 

v^h}  uoudMJude  quote  from  Enoch  in  his  inspired  book  if  it  was 
not  a  written  prophecy?  There  is  no  exaiuple  of  Any  writer  i\i  the  Xew 
le^tamentquotln-  an  unwritten  prophecy.  Tlie  inference  is  that 
Jude  had  seen  Enoch's  prophecy  in  writin- 

bnn^nf''fn'Ti''^^'  ""^Y"  '^'"'^'^  ^^  hooks  7hat  are  lost  now,  as  the 
.nd  V^  9>  ^1  P/'ophet   (2  0hron.  9:29),  and  several  others  12:15 

nml  '  ;  Vv'li^^  ''?"•  -'^-'•^-'^<>-  ^I^^vo  books  are  mentioned  here 
no^^  lost,  of  Xathan  the  prophet  and  of  (lad  the  seer.  The  lover  of 
learning  cou  d  but  be  -lad  to  have  them,  especially  as  they  <rave  an 
aT'coiuit  of  the  times  that  went  over  all  the  kingdoms  of  tl^;  coun- 
tries, besides  Israel  in  the  reign  of  David. 

But  Providence  for  some  reason  unknown  to  us  suffered  them  to 
perish.  \  et  it  seems  that  it  would  be  really  a  pleasure  to  a  lover  of 
true  earning  if  he  had  them  now.  The  IJible  gives  history  of  the 
Israelites  enough  in  that  period  to  satisfy  us  on  that  subject]  but  the 
inquiring  mind  reaches  out  everywhere  to  find  out  all  it  can  about 
the  other  people  of  the  earth  in  all  those  times  back  of  where  author- 
ized secular  history  leads  us  to. 

Doubtless  Providence  saw  that  it  would  be  best  for  us  to  have  to 
take  these  pains  we  do  take  to  learn  what  we  know  about  ancient 
times  not  recorded  in  tlie  Bible.  When  a  thirsty  soul  finds  a  <'ush- 
ing  fountain  which  does  not  disappoint,  how  good  it  is!  So  Ts  he 
ravished  with  delight,  who  has  long  sought  for  a  truth  when  he  finds 
it.  As  the  entering  in  of  light  giveth  joy,  so  is  he  that  findeth 
knowled'^e. 

Then,  too,  finding  a  new  truth,  to  him   at   least   new,  long  hidden 
from  men  (Col.  1  :2(i  and  Luke  10:21),  or  which  contirms  what  wjts 
believed  before,  gives  luost  happy  sensations.     In  the  vast  vault  of 
nature,  in  the  long  buried  tracks  of  by  gone   nations,  and   people,  O 
many  such  truths  of  antiquity  are  being  brought  to   light   bv  the  ^ 
lovers  of  knowledge  to  the  joy  of  all   intelligent  people.  "" Especially 
to  those  who  believe  in  the  Bible  and  (Christ,  its  all  pervading  sub- 
jet't;  for  they  see  in  these  a  happy  confirmation  of  what  the^Bible 
teaches  on  the  same  subjects  and  on   their  collaterals.     The  fulfill- 
ment of  many  a  prophecy  found  in  that  book  is  thereby   more   fully 
shown  to  be  true,  being  confirmed  in  an  unexpected  way.     And  with- 
out doubt  all  can  but  see  that  it   is  the  word  of  (iod.     And  as  we 
^valk  along  the  newly  opened  pathways  of  knowledge  we  are  con- 
strained frequently  to  appeal  to  the  Old  (Juide  which  led  our  footsteps 
all  the  way  as  we  walked  by  faith  in  the  light  of  revealed  truth;  and 
now  are  only  the  more  happy  to  see  it  demonstrated  before  our  eyes. 
Yet  it  hath  not  entered  into  the  hearts  of    man  to  conceive  the  things 


202. 


THE  STORY  OF  OKEATIOX. 


(k)(l  hath  propaml  for  them  tliat  love  irim.  (1  (^'Or.  2:9).  How  much 
of  Huch  delight  He  has  for  His  liappy  children  in  the  paths  of  conse- 
crated knowhvlj^'e,  even  !)efore  tliey  j^et  where  they  know  more  tluin 
oiily  in  part,  mortal  cannot  tell. 

It  is  best  that  He  preserved  for  us  what  He  did  in  His  book,  and 
helped  us  to  find  the  rest  we  have.  Whether  it  is  ricrht  or  not,  I  have 
sometimes  wished  that  \  had  Paul's  epistle  to  Laodicea,  (('Ol.  4:10); 
but  r  shall  try  to  he  content  with  whatever  the  Lord  .^fives  me.  I  am 
thankful  to  Him  for  all  F  have  received.     Amen. 

H  Enoch  wrote  the  prophecy  .hide  (piotes,  then  the  art  of  writin<? 
was  understood  in  the  a^'e  of  knoch.  It  must  have  been  written  and 
extant  at  the  time  Jude  wrote,  or  he  would  not  have  quoted  from  it. 
He  speaks  of  it  as  a  thlnir  commoidy  understood,  that  it  was  Knoch's 
prophecy.  He  says  Enoch  prophesied  and  tells  us  what  he  predicted. 
(Jude  14,  IT)  verses). 

Now  St.  Peter  says  Noah  was  a  preacher  of  riorhteousness,  but  he 
quotes  from  (Jenesi's,  while  Jude  quotes  Enoch  directly.  (2  Peter2:rj). 

There  are  three  ways  throuj^h  which  he  could  have  known  what  he 
here  wrote:  by  unwritten  tra«lit ion,  authentic  written  history  and 
dire<'t  revelation  from  (rod.  All  ('hristians  receive  Jude  as  an 
in.spired  writer — and  one  of  the  twelve  apostles,  to  whou)  inspiration 
was  promised — his  epistle  j^ives  them  sufficient  grounds  for  it.  It  has 
furnished  heavenly  comfort  to  (Jod's  people  in  all  ajjes  since  it  was 
written,  and  carries  within  it  pleneary  evidence  of  its  inspiration. 
There  are  some  who  wish  it  was  not  there;  but  that  is  their  desire 
about  everythin}^  they  don't  like. 

Every  word  of  (rod  is  pure  and  precious,  and  should  be  kept  bj'  us 
all.  Some,  however,  have  proposed  to  rule  out  Jude  for  quotin«f 
from  Enoch,  claiminji:  that  it  was  only  a  tradition.  But,  perhaps, 
they  had  better  wait  awhile,  and  they  will  find  out  he  wasrioht.  The 
words  of  (rod  are  true.  Thev  may  vet  find  that  Jude  knew  what  he 
was  writinj?  about,  that  it  was  more  than  tradition. 

What  Jude  (piotes,  I  think,  is  altOL'ether  different  from  the  frag- 
ment of  Enoch  :  which,  f  l)elieve,  to  be  apocry|)hal.  (Antiquities  of 
Josephus  Ps.  of)  an<l  iM). 

,  Judc's  epistle  and  Second  Peter  are  very  much  alike  both    in   doc- 
trine and  style,  and  each  of  them  ^ivesus  much  valuable  information, 

Josephus  ^ives  accoimt  of  ancient  histories  written  by  Ej^yptian 
authors  before  the  time  of  Moses,  .i^ivin*^  chronicles  of  thi^r  kings 
back  to  Sesostris,  from  whom  Egypt  is  said  to  be  named.  These 
chronicles  are  given  to  the  year  and  month,  as  if  written  in  order  as 
they  rose  to  power  and  ex])ired. 

He  speaks  also  of  ('haldean  histories  which  reach  back  to  the  flood. 
Which  give  an  account  of  the  flood,  of  the  ark,  of  it  resting  on  a 
moontain  in  Armenia — Ararat — of  Xoah  and  those  who  were  saved 
with  him  in  the  ark.  P>earing  witness  with  the  Bible  on  all  these 
facts. 

He  tells  us  that  the  posterity  of  Seth  established  the  science  of 
astronomy,  and  that  long  before  the  flood.  That  Adam  predicted 
that  the  world  would  be  destroyed  once  by  a  deluge  of  water  and  once 
by  fire.     They,  therefore,  wrot^  down,  he  says,  their  observations  in 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


2u;j. 


/ 


i 


•lU 


i 


the  days  of  Adam  on  a  brick  monument,  then  for  fear  if  it  should  be 
undestroyed  by  the  flood,  yet  might  be  destroyed  hy  fire,  they  wrote 
them  also  on  a  .stone  monument  for  the  benefit  of  future  generations. 

Jf  so,  they  used  both  stone  and  brick  in  the  days  of  Adam,  and 
writing  was  known  and  practiced  then  too;  or,  if  reared  soon  after 
the  Hood,  as  some  have  supposed,  it  shows  that  they  then  used  stone 
and  brick,  as  the  Bible  teaches  they  did,  and  writing  also;  and  car- 
ries a  probability  that  the.se  arts  obtained  before  the  flood. 

I  have  no  doubt  but  that  Adam  had  the  spirit  and  the  gift  of 
prophecy. 

He  further  says  that  ('ain  invented  weights  and  measures;  that  he 
was  the  first  to  set  measures  and  bounds  to  lands;  that  he  leathered 
his  family  into  a  city  and  walled  it  in.  Jt  would  reciuire  considerable 
.science  to  do  all  these  things. 

That  his  posterity  invented  harps  and  p.salteries  and  tents,  and 
established  the  science  of  music;  and  were  the  first  to  use  brass. 
That  implies  art  and  science  both.  But  he  says  they  were  lovers  and 
seekers  of  pleasure.  While  the  posterity  of  Seth  were  pious  until 
sliortly  before  the  flood,  when  they  also  became  wicked  as  well  as 
Cain's  who  were  very  wicked,  even  before  Adam  died. 

But  he  nowhere  says  when  writing  was  invented,  or  first  used;  but 
the  science  of  astronomy  and  of  music  would  nee<l  it .  So  would  geo- 
metry, which  they  must  have  used  also,  with  their  arts  and  commerce. 

As  there  is  no  account  of  it^  invention,  discovery  or  beginning,  wri- 
ting must  have  been  taught  to  Adam  by  the  Creator,  from  the  first. 
The  probability  is,  that  the  first  of  men  knew  how  to  write,  and  that 
they  did  write. 

If  the  flood  was  not  universal,  the  knowlerlge  of  it  was  made  sp; 
for  wherever  mankind  emigrated  alter  the  deluge,  they  carried  its  fact 
in  their  minds,  and  its  impression  on  their  hearts.  And  that  fact 
and  that  impression  have  survived  among  the  heathen  nations  unto 
this  day,  waiting  for  its  fuller  confirmation  by  the  Bible,  which  the 
churches  of  (-hrist  are  are  carrying  to- them  today;  while  the  little  of 
original  truth  they  have  in  their  crude  wa}^  preserved,  helps  to  an 
earlier  belief  in  the  Bible  when  it  comes  to  them;  for  the  ('hlnese, 
Hindoos,  Persians,  Peruvians  and  Mexican  Indians  all  have  tradi- 
tions of  the  flood. 

How  is  it  to  be  accounted  for,  but  that  all  these  peoples — and  no 
others,  are  without  traditions  of  the  kind — as  all  the  rest — sprang 
from  those  eight  persons  saved  in  the  ark?  And  that  all  the  earth 
has  since  been  peopled  by  their  descendants,  and  the  facts,  and  the 
impressions  of  the  fiood  were  handed  down  from  sire  to  son  through- 
out all  generations  from  then  till  now? 

It  shows,  also,  that  the  American  Indians  are  of  Asiatic  origin,  and 
declined  in  their  civilization,  as  did  those  they  left  in  Asia,  until  the 
redeeming  influences  of  Christianity  met  them.  I  believe  the  earliest 
settlers  of  America  were  Indians  from  Asia,  and  that  they  declined 
from  a  higher  state  of  civilization  to  the  degraded  state  in  which  the 
white  men  found  them  when  they  came  here.  The  traces  of  that  de- 
^cline  are  seen  ;  for  behind  them  are  evidences  of  a  better  state  of  c4v- 


¥'-\ 


xx 


2(U. 


THE  STORY  OF  ORKATFOX. 


ilization  than  they  were  in  at  tho  r-ominsr  of  the  white  man.  The  fir^t 
settlers  nuist  have  been  tillers  of  the  soil. 

The  very  mounds  whieh  remain  of  that  state  are  eonorete  \<iatio 
Ideas  of  biiryin-  the  dead— of  honorin-  tlieir  distinguished  dead  It 
li^  the  same  thou-ht,  only  on  a  smaller  scale,  that  underlies  the  pyra- 
mids of  J'.^^ypt.  Mound  huildin-  <,ver  the  dead,  like  all  o1  her  Asiatie 
ciLstoms,  onee  adopted,  lasted  Ion-— was  brou-ht  hv  the  Indians  to 
Amenea— and  obtained  anmn-  tiiem  for  a-es,  till  thev  became  too 
poor  and  barimrous  to  keep  it  up.  It  reached  its  climax  in  the  pyra- 
mids  of  h;^ypt.  i  .^     * 

Jt"  '^n,'rt"-  '?"v  "";'"■''  to.l,,.  I«s,.  i,  ,vaso„ly  (h,^  Indian    l,i,n- 
sof.   and   .)n,,,l,.,-|,n,.   from  ttl.ii(    ho  was  whon   lie  camp.     I    see  no 
other  roasonanle  ,-„n,-lusion  o„  thai  snhject.     I  ,|o  not    bolieve  there 
were  any  other  people  liere  before  he  came 
The  Bihie  Is  s  sure  <;ukle  that  leads  us  not  in  uncertain  paths-to 

oh  'earn";?  "  /'""  ""m"?  '""''  'I""  -^""""-  '^^  '"""■  "'  ■--'  vouM 
h    milM  h     'f-,""'^'/™"'''   '>«'«'"•'•''   f>-"m   having,  to  make  so   ,nanv 
T  'i         ?  i  .•knowUMl^-ements  of  their  i-norance  of  anti,,uitv 

^ears  onjojed  a  -ood  stale  of  civiliziition.     But  afterward  the  most  of 
t  amtj  tor  the  last  nincleen  centuries,   has  been   llflino-  them  onf  ,.f 

K:  dVem '"^''Vnf "'  T  ''"'"■'  f'"'   '•'•'=•''*"  ''n^i-lolaTrv" 
piuu^ea  rnem.     And  fiow    )ecause   thev  'nv^   fnimri   f,.  i  .  '  •  • 

seal,  some  writers  want,,,  deny  that"?.;r 
o>e|    that   <-.vd,zat.on,    <lecline,l    from    it,    and    throned,    Christ -n 

™   ",     ;  h"'-  "■?'  '•*^""-"'"^'  '«<-!<  'o  it.  «nd  to  trtte  rel  oTion        Vl   c 

e^     V  '[r';'^"''  "'•"^■"''"''  •''■^"•">-  f'-'"»  M"^  world  a  very  pre  •  i.s 
iewa(> — the  coTmuon  property  of  all  i^i^^  i«'u.> 


(^HAPTKR    XHT. 

pecht/;v'a;;;:7hrdH;;:.;''';;;;r';r"  -^"--"i-^ «'-  oarM,,  espe. 

blinded  their  inU.;;'  '{LC  iu  '  Tu'iarst'l  1^'  -'T';  ,'''""^*'->'  "''' 
providence,  caused  him  to  ti^r  e  ,  ,  t  ',.  '•'^'';''''"'  ''-^^  '^  '"^"''f'"' 
for  his  wants.  ""'   '•""^■^""'"1  means  j,rovidin-     , 

with  stones  for  bulldin  rpn'i"":;  ''W'r'"  ,f '"""'*"' =  I"'  "--«1  <hi.; 
used  clay,  sand  and    4?e       rki'r.;  .,  1  r'";V''''' f''    I""   P'""''"'  '•'* 

.«hine.  orsmtdrled-tluM/i,  Hal^^t^e  t-«^'-  '^^  '"''''  '"  '""" 
structinj;  houses,  or  walls.  "-^''tened  b.\  hro  m  kdns— for  con- 

Some  iiseil  stone  and  mortar  or  <dnv   cnl>hl„,i   •-       .i 
times  sticks— fille,!  between  l»-rf,  I  ^,'   t"^'<^Hier:  and  .soine- 

such  means  .as  ^|.o.l:er:s^L^:^•  ^;:;;r:'^Tr^^^^^ 


) 


;#•- 


i 


^ 


) 


.( 


V 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


205. 


erts,  wiiere  all  these  elements  were  wantini;,  they  fitted  natural  caves 
of  tbe  earth  for  dwellinp^s,  as  did  Lot  in  his  extremity.    ((Jen.  I9:;J0;. 
Settlers  out  in  our  western  countries  do  the  same   thinoj  today;   the 
same  as  men  did  of  old;   so   do  men  now   when   their  conditions  are 
alike.     Now  where  there  are  not  enou<^h  natural  covxts  they  construct  ^ifj\) 
a  dugout,  usinji:  a  hill    slope  or  mountain  side    for  the  the   purpose,  (Vv\  JL  I 
which     makes    the     labor    of     it    easy     and    cheap,    compared    to    "        ^| 
bousel)uildin<i;. 

Early  history  shows  that  the  cave  dwellers  were  inhabitants  of  des- 
erts. This  was  the  best  they  could  do,  unless  they  used  tents;  but 
deserts  are  not  stock  raisinijj  countries,  and  they  and  their  business 
needed  settled  abodes;  or  if  only  temporary  the  cave  would  be  less 
costly. 

The  Bible,  I  think,  teaches  plainly  enouj^h,  that  some  of  the  ear- 
liest buildinixs  of  men  were  constructed  of  stone  cemented  tojj^ether 
with  slime.  For  instance,  if  (-ain  builded  a  city  in  the  land  of  Xod, 
(den.  4:17,)  the  probabilities  are  that  the  houses  in  that  city  were  of 
stone  or  brick,  rather  than  of  wood.  And  by  its  walls,  the  more  es- 
pecially, as  Josephus  says,  he  walled  it  in.  And  the  expression  used 
in  (xen.  ():4,  came  in,  or  went  in,  in  Scripture  always  means  a  house 
or  tent,  or  other  kind  of  abode. 

The  book  of  Oenesis  is  written -as  if  from  the  land  of  Alidian — or 
Horeb;  hence  it  speaks  of  the  countries  of  the  Euphrates  and  Tigris 
as  the  East.  They  journeyed  from  the  east,  ((ren.  11  :l-4,)  settled  in 
the  plain  of  Shinar.  The  tirst  settlements  then  after  the  ttood  must 
have  been  on  the  Tigris.  East  of  the  plain  of  Shinar — which  was 
afterward  called  Babylonia — in  which  the  famous  city  of  Babylon  was 
situated.  And  tliey  said  to  one  another,  ''(fo  to,  let  us  make  brick." 
This  shows  that  they  were  familiar  with  brick  before.  "And  burn 
them  tboroughly."  This  implies  that- they  had  burnt  brick  before 
this  time.  "And  they  had  brick  for  stone."  This  shows  that  stone  • 
was  used  in  walls  before  brick;  and  that  they  had  used  stone  walls 
before  this.  -'And  slime  had  they  for  mortar."  This  shows  that 
before  this  they  had  used  mortar  in  stone  walls;  perhaps  in  brick 
walls  too;  and  also  in  walls  of  wood  for  houses  ancl  chimneys.  Stone 
was  before  brick — used  first — and  slime  before  mortar — and  used  no 
doubt,  before  mortar. 

Perhaps  the  use  of  slime  was  known  before  Xoah  used  it  it  in  pitch- 
ing the  ark,  (Oen.  0:14,)  but  that  was  the  first  time,  perhaps  it  was 
used  to  resist  water.  The  instructions  given  to  Xoah  in  regard  to 
pitching  the  ark  with  slime  presume  that  its  use  was  understood 
before  ;'^as  the  other  instructions  imply  that  he  understood  framing, 
building  and  the  use  of  mechanical  tools,  metalic  tools,  at  that. 

In  the  account  of  the  Assyrian  explorations,  it  is  said  that  Asshur- 
banipal,  the  most  eminent  of  the  rulers  of  Assyria,  was  a  great  pat- 
ron of  letters.  He  mav  have  been  the  Asshur  of  the  Bible.  (Gen.  10: 
11).  He  built  Nineveh,  Rehoboth,  (-aleh  and  Resim.  This  Resim 
was  a  c^-reat  city  at  the  time  this  was  written,  for  the  book  says  so. 
(Gen.  10:12).  'This  Asshur  was  the  founder  of  the  Assyrian  empire; 
was  the  head  of  that  dynasty.  Perhaps  tlie  most  honored  of  any  in 
it. ;  and  deserved,  no  doubt,  to  be. 


200. 


THE  STORY  OF  (CREATION. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


207. 


The  records  on  clav  tablets  found  in  their  ruins,  it  is  snfd  reach 
l)ack  2  (KH)  years  before  (^.hrist.  Tiiat  would  reach  back  into  the  tune 
of  Asshur,  the  first  ruler  of  that  empire.  Mis  father,  Shem—Cden. 
10-22)  lived  :>(«>  years  after  the  Hood.  2,IMM)  years  H.  O.  would  take 
in  :U4  vears  of  Shenrs  life  and  six  years  of  Noah's  life.  Accordm^j 
to  our'authorized  chronolo^^y  in  the  Bible,  which  shows,  if  the  de- 
ciphering? is  correct,  that  in  Shem's  lifetime,  and  in  Xoah  s,  men 
recorded'events  in  writing?.  If  so,  it  is  a  stron<r  probability  that  they 
did  before  the  flood,  and  it  must  reach  back  to  Adam. 

In  (ien.  4:  15  the  word  sevenfc^ld  is  here  used  and  in  the  24  v.  Lam- 
ech  uses  it  and  adds  seventy  and  sevenfold,  which  shows  that  in 
Lame  Ors  time  and  in  Ciuu'i<,  if  he  was  yet  alive,  which  is  probable 
that  men  then  had  at  least  some  knowledj^-e  of  mathematics,  for  it 
has  referen«-e  to  muitiplyinj?  one  number  by  another. 

Tlie  Lord  used  it  lirst  in  several  speeches  he  made  to  them  before 
this,  as  he  is  the  author  of  lan.i^ua^'e  and  of  all  other  knowledj^e— he 
helned  them  to  «rrasp  the  knowled«<e  of  all  thinj^s  needful  for  them  to 
know  and  to  do.  Whatever  was  needful  for  them  to .  know  he  led 
them  into  the  knowlcfli^e  f>r  it  and  tauj^ht  them  how  to  do  every- 
tliin*,'  necessary  for  them  to  do;  supplied  all  their  need,  as  he  has 
ever  done  for  us  all. 

If  this  ruler  was  a  ^reat  patron  of  letters  it  is  quite  probable  that 
his  contemporaries  were  also,  for  those  others  of  Shem's  line  had  as 
t;ood  opportunities  as  he  liad,  if  others  did  not. 

Whih'  the  Lord  in  His  providence  buried  Xineveh  for  her  sins,  He 
preserved  in  her,  nevertheless,  records  to  witness  to  the  truth  as  setv 
forth  in  the  Bible.  But  certain  writers  when  they  come  to  speak  of 
these,  however,  show  either  their  weakness  or  their  .contrariness,  by 
trvinj'  to  jjive  to  them  exa^jj^erated  dates,  for  which  there  is  no  reason. 
Nor  do  they,  themselves,  claim  that  there  is  anything?  in  the  recortls 
on  the  tablets  to  justify  it.  Why  they  do  it  then  the  liOrd  only 
knows.     But  all  sensible  people  will  have  their  opinion  about  it. 

(reoloj^ists  may  write  what  they  call  the  rational  history  of  the 
earth:  but  no  rational  history  can  jzfive  chronolojjy.  ('hronoloury  is  a 
product  only  of  human  hands.  It  comes  from  some  one  "who  then 
lived."  There  is  no  other  way  for  posterity  to  find  it.  And  there 
has  been  no  writing?  of  any  kind,  on  any  kind  of  material,  that  con- 
tradicts our  Bible  ('hronoloj^y.  Nor  does  nature  anywhere  ^ive  forth 
a  contrary  testimony.  The  chronology  of  the  Bible  is  the  best  the 
world  has.  Whether  correctly  calculated  or  not  there  is  nothino^ 
found  in  man's  records  that  denys  it;  nor  is  there  anything  in  nature 
yet  found  that  contradicts  it — neither  can  any  naturalist  or  other 
scientist  so  claim.     They  well  know  there  is  not. 

As  to  writing,  no  man  can  prove  that  men  did  not  write  before  the 
exodus  of  Israel  from  Egypt,  nor  that  Noah  did  not  write.  It  is 
probable  that  he  did.  Nor  that  Adam  did  not.  If  the  Lord  did  not 
teach  it  directly  to  him  his  early  descendants  soon  invented  it,  as 
they  did  other  things  they  needed.  (Gen.  4  :  20-24). 
_  If  those  writers  could  get  hold  of  some  relics  of  the  first  harps,  and 
organs,  and  tools,  of  iron  and  brass,  men  then  used,  they  would,  for 
contrariness,  if  for  nothing  else,  try  to  put  their  dates  very  much 


I 


•  . 


further  back    than  any  reason   could  ])e   found  U^r  so  placing  them. 
The  Bible  speaks  of  some  who  were  contrary  to  all  men. 

If  they  knew,  it  is  said  by  some,  when  a  certain  king  reigned 
whose  name  is  writteti  on  those  clay  tablets  they  would  know  by  that 
the  true  date.  He  may  be  a  Bible  character,  f«)r  in  the  Scrij^tures 
a  prominent  man  is  called  by  a  Hebrew  and  sometiiues  by  the  same 
name,  in  (Ireek  form.  And  again,  some  are  called  by  a  Syrian,  Per- 
sian, Ohaldean,  or  Assj^rian  name,  as  well  as  by  his  Hebrew  name. 
So  he  niav  have  been  one  mentiojied  in  the  Bible,  and  in  those  times 
as  now  a  num  often  obtained  a  local  name,  and  that  may  be  the  one 
on  the  tablets. 

If  the  dates  on  the  Assyrian  tablets  are  properly  understood  they 
reach  back  to  the  first  settlements  of  mankind  after  the  Hood;  while 
the  Babylonish,  if  correctly  deciphered,  extend  far  into  antediluvian 
time. 

It  is  said  by  some  writers  that  there  were  people  in  Babylonia  be- 
fore it  was  occupied  by  the  Shemites.  That  is  agreeable  to  the 
Bible.  The  first  settlers  of  it  after  the  Hood  were  descendants  of 
Ham.  Nimrod,  j^randson  of  Ham,  established  there  the  first  mon- 
archy,  which  was  the  Hrst  variation  from  the  patriarchaP  form  of 
government  mentioned  in  the  Bible. 

By  and  by  these  Hamites  had  to  retreat  from  that  country  before 
the  diildren  of  Shem.  It,  I  think,  occurred  before  the  time  of  Abra- 
luim.  Except  what  were  made  servants,  they  must  have  eiuigrated 
to  Africa,  the  natural  home  of  the  liamite. 

Dates  are  found,  it  is  said,  on  the  Babylonish  tablets,  reaching 
back  to  :J,8(K)  years  before  the  birth  of  Ohrist,  which  according  to  the 
chronology  of '  the  Bible  would  be  coeval  with  the  civilization  of  (5ain 
and  his  posterity,  mentioned  in  the  fourth  chapter  of  (lenesis,  10  to 
verse  24,  which,  if  true,  would  carry  the  art  of  writing  as  far  back  as 
that  date,  and  perhaps  to  the  creation  of  man — where,  doubtless,  it 
l)elongs. 

Some  writers  have  stated  that  they  think  that  civilization  dates 
back  six  or  seven,  or  even  eight  thousand  years  before  the  birth  of 
Christ,  but  that  is  not  made  out  from  any  date  found  anywhere.  That 
is  calculated  from  the  rate  they  suppose  debris  would  accumulate 
over  ruins,  and,  of  course,  there  is  no  certainty  in  that.  Sometimes 
it  might  be  suddenly  very  great  and  at  other  times  very  small,  ac- 
cording to  the  causes  that  would  produc^e  it.  In  all  the  excavations 
no  dates  are  found  that  contradict  the  chronology,  as  calculated  from 
the  text  of  the  Scriptures;  and  yet  we  may  safely  allow,  by  comi)ar- 
ing  ours  with  the  Samaritan  version  of  the  Pentateuch  and  the  Sep- 
tuagint  version  of  the  Old  Testament  in  chronology,  as  these  calcu- 
lated that  the  present  age  of  the  world  is  quite  as  near,  perhaps.  7000, 
as  it  is  to  (KK)0  years.  While  they  are  supposing  as  a  basis  for  a 
calculation  that  it  would  take  nature  at  a  given  rate  of  increase  40(K) 
years  to  cover  certain  ruins  with  debris  to  a  depth  less  than  forty 
feet-  the  Hood  may  have  covered  many  a  one  with  debris,  at  once, 
far  deeper  than  that.  No  doubt,  there  are  whole  antediluvian  cities 
buried  deeper  by  far  than  any  spade  or  pick  has  yet  gone,  which 
shall  be  duly  found  in  His  seasons,  who  bringeth  all  His  purposes  to 


y 


208. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATTOX 


THE  STORY  OF  OREATION. 


2U9. 


pass.     His  evidences  are  ever  oumulative.     They  are  ^^athering  new 
forces  in  all  the  earth  to-day. 

Some  critics  t<ive  it  as  their  opinion  that  those  early  dwellers  in 
Babylonia  were  Sheinites.  The  truth  is  they  were  Oainites — antedi- 
luvians— who  first  dwelt  in  that  country.  I  understand  that  Cain  nnd 
his  family  settled  east  of  the  river  Ti<^'ris.  ((Jen.  4:JG),  an<l  his  pos- 
terity spread  over  the  plains  of  Ti«,'ris,  and  the  Kuphrates,  before  the 
flood;  while  the  rest  of  them  reniained  in  what  was  afterwards  called 
the  land  of  ('anaan.  and  the  adjacent  countries.  For  the  Almi^ifhty 
thus  separated  t lie  two  posterities  of  Adam's  family  in  those  days. 
They  remained  .so  until  a  few  centuries  l)efore  the  flood,  wlien  con- 
trary to  liis  directions,  they  ja^ot  toj^ether. 

Their  resemblance,  in  otiier  particulars,  to  the  Shemltes,  which 
causes  critics  to  think  thev  were  Shemites.  is  only  one  of  maity 
proofs,  that  the  antediluvian  civilization  was  preserved  in  the  Shem- 
ites; the  more  especially  in  the  Hebrew  branches  of  Shem.  1  believe 
their  speech,  complexion  and  customs  were  antediluvian  ;  and  so  was 
their  faith  and  worship — plus  Mosaic  and  Abrahamic  institutions.  So 
they  have  never  had  a  dawn  of  civilization,  but  the  day  lij^ht  of  it  all 
the  time,  since  man  was  created.  Neither  have  they  had  any  prehis- 
toric times.  The  Bible  carries  their  history  competely  linked,  from 
Adam  to  its  latest  pa^e.  And  now  excavations  are  unearthin«j  it 
throuf^h  the  distant,  buried  past,  and  it  is  beiiiL'  read  in  other  hand- 
writinjj.  besides  Moses  and  the  prophets. 

Accordint^  to  nur  authorized  chronolosfj',  the  ('ainites  had  l^U) 
years  the  start  of  Seth's  line  of  descent;  and  ai^reeable  to  .Josephus, 
280  years  the  start  of  Seth's  posterity.  They  also  increased  rapidly; 
were,  as  Cain,  tillers  of  the  soil ;  soon  developed  the  mechanical  arts, 
which  at;riculturc  naturally  leads  to.  Also  the  art  of  music,  and  oth- 
ers'—of industrial  nature    were  developed  by  them. 

('ain  himself,  lived  to  build  a  city,  named  Enoch.  Perhaps  it.isthe 
Ere(!h  on  the  clav  tablets.  The  dates  of  the  two  aj?ree  well  tocrether. 
Enoch  is  the  first  city  mentioned  in  the  Bible.  The  ('ainites  perhaps 
built  many  others,  for  they  had  more  than  a  thousand  years  yet  be- 
fore their  destruction  by  the  deluire. 

Those  ancient  ruins  which  some  suppose  are  six  or  seven  thousand 
years  older  than  the  Christian  era,  are  no  doubt  works  of  the  Oain- 
ites; lyinj?  in  ruins  since  the  flood,  and  buried  by  sediment  then;  a 
just  recompense  for  their  wickedness,  and  should  be  a  warning  to  all 
others.  The  Bible  does  not  speak  of  kin^s  and  their  conquest  before 
the  flood,  yet  Josephus  says  the  Oainites  made  many  wars  upon  the 
rest  of  mankind  and  took  great  spoils  from  them;  which  agrees  very 
much  with  some  of  the  records  on  the  clay  tablets  on  the  ages  that 
reach  beyond  the  deluge. 

When  we  consider  the  number  of  children  that  may  be  born  to  a* 
man  and  his  wife  in  their  short  lifetime  now,  and  consider  the  gi*eat 
ages  they  lived  unto  in  those  days,  it  appears  that  the  rate  of  increase 
in  population  must  have  been  much  greater  then  than  it  is  now. 
And,  too,  the  death  rate  among  them  being  much  less  than  it  is 
among  us,  increases  the  probability  of  a  much  more  rapid  increase 
among  them  than  among  us.     Then  consider  the  length  of  antedilu- 


I 


{ 


\, 


a 


i 


i) 


vian  time  and  compare  it  with  the  increase  and  development  of  any 
other  people,  according  to  time  and  other  conditions,  and  it  will  be 
seen  there  must  have  been  a  numerous  posterity  from  them  all  before 
the  deluge,  and  could  have  done  all  that  would  be  indicated  by  all 
that  is  found  in  the  tracks  of  civilization,  which  dates  in  periods  of 
time  anterior  to  the  flood. 

There  were  two  lines  of  civilization  developed  in  those  times.  The 
first— Adam's  through  Abel's,  if  he  left  any,  and  Seth's,  and  Adam's 
later  sons  and  daughters,  (Gen.  5:4)  and  all  that  descended  from  all 
these.  The  second  was  (Gain's  and  all  those  that  descended  from 
him,  being  separated  froiu  the  rest. 

Perhaps,  the  flrst  devoted  themselves  more  to  stock-raising,  and, 
therefore,  were  less  permanently  settled  than  Oain's,  and  have  not 
left  as  permanent  remains  as  did  the  agricultural  Oainites,  or,  how- 
ever, they  may  yet  be  found  in  Canaan  and  adjacent  countries. 

While  in  the  remotest  remains  we  And  of  ancient  intelligence— as 
to  time — they  were  writing  in  the  plains  of  the  Euphrates  on  tablets 
of  burnt  clay;  the  rest  of  Adam's  descendants  were  writing  their 
history  on  scrolls  or  parchment  made  of  the  well-dressed  skins  of 
animals.  And  how  luuch  more  intelligent  and  reliable  are  they  than 
all  that  is  found  on  all  the  clay  tablets  of  Cain's  posterity? 

Some  writers  speak  of  their  high  appreciation  of  the  valuable  treas- 
ure of  the  clay  tablets  found  by  explorers  after  ancient  relics,  giving 
evidence  of  a  past  civilization  hitherto  unknown  to  them,  and  they 
ought  to  be  ashamed  to  have  to  confess  to  such  lack  of  knowledge, 
for^'to  Bible  students  it  had  been  known  all  the  time. 

And  the  Bible  is  far  more  intelligent  on  all  these  subjects  than  all 
else  that  men  have.  How  much  more  should  we  appreciate  that 
grand  and  sublime  account  of  antiquity  iriven  us  in  the  Scriptures. 
None  of  those  relics  bear  a  date  more  ancient  than  the  time  when  the 
fand  of  Nod  was  flrst  settled  by  the  fugitive,  Cain.  If  any  so  think 
they  only  fail  to  read  or  to  interpret  correctly. 

Those  which  relate  to  the  flood  were  written  since  that  event. 
Trace  nature  to  her  beginnings  and  art  to  her  earliest  existence,  and 
there  is  not  a  voice  of  testimony  anywhere  that  contradicts  the  Bible; 
but  at  every  step  in  discovery,  as  far  as  their  influence  extends,  it 
goes  to  establish  or  corroborate  the  teaching  of  Holy  Writ. 
"  While  the  \lmighty  preserved  Chain's  hi.story,  buried  deep  under 
the  sediment  of  the  flood.  He  brought  the  history  of  the  other  bj-anch 
of  \dam's  race  safely  across  the  waters  of  the  deluge  in  the  ark— the 
one  preserved  in  nature,  the  other  in  the  Bible.  And  as  he  says  in 
the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses  every  word  shall  be  established, 
so  is  this  established  by  the  concurrent  witness  of  nature,  art  and 
inspiration. 

And  in  the  early  ages  after  the  flood,  prior  to  the  time  of  Moses 
and  after  while  the  Shemites  in  Assyria  and  Babylonia  improved 
their  most  convenient  method  of  preserving  their  history,  the  He- 
brew was  writing  his  upon  parchments  of  prepared  skins  from  his 
sheep-cote,  the  most  convenient  to  him-each  following  the  peculiar 
conditions  of  his  country  and  of  his  occupation,  too,  as  those  did 


210. 


THE  STORY  OF  CRKATION 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


211 


wlio  lived  in  tlioso  ^nme  lands  before  the  flood,  followin.i,'  the  sll;?gp^^- 
tions  of  nature  to  use  tluit  whieh  was  most  convenient  to  them. 


(HIAPTKR    XIV 


(y 


It  is  supposed  that  from  those  clay  tal)lets  kinirs  ruled  in  Babylo- 
nia as  far  back  as  li.SOU  years  before  the  Ohristian  era.  Hut  that 
does  not  contradict  any  statement  in  Bible  history.  And  it  was  a 
common  belief  anions^  learned  .lews  that  Adam  held  the  o^overnment 
as  lon.i,'  as  he  lived,  tlien  was  succeeded  by  Selh,  and  he  by  the  next 
in  re<>ular  succession  unto  Enoch,  the  seventh  ruler  from  Adam,  and 
he  irrre<'ular  succession  to  Xoali,  who  ruled  just  before  the  flood. 

Of  course,  this  did  not   include  Gain's  line,  because  the  Lord  had 
sejiarated  them  from  the  rest.     Xo  doubt  but  Oain  .i,'overned  them  as 
patriarch,   if    not    otherwise,  while  he  lived,   then    Lajuech,  and   he 
seemed  to  be  tyrannical.     Mere  the  Bible  leaves  them   behind  in  its 
history.     But  it  is  probable  from  the  jrenius  of  the  times   that  they 
had  a  successive  ruler  over  them  until  they  were  all  lost  in  the  flood. 
Where  the  sacred   history  leaves   them   (Gen.  4\:  lU)   they  were  in  a 
prosperous,  developinu:   condition  and   nuist    have   developed   into  a 
powerful   irovernment    durinii;   twelve   centuries   or  more  before   the 
flood,  in  those  couiitrles,  then  so  fertile,  on  the  Euphrates.     Enoui^h 
to  account  for  all  that  is  found  of  that    civilization.     And  moreover, 
Josephus   writes  of   a  ruimbi'r  of    histories  written  by  ancient    (-hal- 
deans,  PhaMiecians,  and   Ki^'yptians,  which  are  not  extant  now.     If  it 
had   not   been    for  Mohammedan    literarv  tires  we  niiijlit   have  more 
knowledire  of  the   ancients  than  we  have.     But  the  Lord  foresaw  we 
could  make  out  with  what  He  had  ]n*eserved  for  us.     Josephus  says 
all   those  spoke  of  the   Hoo<l  of  Xoah,  of  his  ark,  of  the  new  world 
after  the  flood,  of  the  tower  of  Babel  and  of  tb.e  dispersion  of   man- 
kind from  thence.     I    suppose  we  will  have  tf)  write  over  them    "ex- 
tinctus  et  mortuus,*  dead  and  extinct.   But  in  the  Scrintures  we  trace 
both    civilization    and    history    throiiii^h    certain    lines  (dear  l)ack  to 
Adam. 

And  those  who  write  of  the  incriptions  upon  these  clay  talilets  say 
thev  are  safe  in  saviui^  that  civilization  existed  J^SO!)  vears  before 
the  be^rinninii:  of  the  Christian  era.  So,  then,  if  that  be  true,  as  we 
said  before,  these  were  no  prehistoric  times  nor  dawn  of  civilization 
oidv»to  those  who  emerored  out  of  a  savaj^e  state;  and,  it  is  not  true 
that  every  nation  has  had  its  stone  a^e,  as  some  writers  vainly 
claim. 

In  the  ruins  of  X'itfer,  or  Xippur.  supposed  to  be  one  of  the  first 
seats  of  civilization,  are  remains  of  their  j^reat  temple  dedicated  to 
Mul-lil,  or  El-lil,  lifoini^  back  to  the  beginninjj;  of  Babylonian  history. 
This  temple  was  built,  no  doubt,  by  (^^ain  and  his  sons  and  dedicated 
to  Elohim,  which  in  the  Hebrew  is  a  plural  teriu  and  has  reference  to 
the  Trinity  of  persons  in  the  (jodhead.  Mul-lil,  in  some  way,  I 
think,  refers  to  that  doctrine  as  revealed  to  Adam.  "El,"  in  the 
Hebrew  means  Ood.  It  is  a  sin^^ular  term  and  means  the  second 
person  in  the  Godhead — or  the  Son  of  God — and  is  so  used,  more 


/■i 


(. 


111 


than  any  other,  in  the  account  of  crbation,  and  is  often  used  farther 
on  in  Genesis. 

As  in  2S:19,  Bethel,  in  Hebrew  is  the  house  of  (rod— El  for  God. 
Beth— house  of  R.  V.  maririn,  and  i^):?,  El-Bethel,  R.  V.  marcrin. 
The  (^od  of  Bethel.  Literally  the  God  of  tlie  house  of  (rod;  or.  He 
who  dwells  in  Bethel— the  house  of  (rod- or  is  found  there  by  tho.se 
who  seek  Him.  As  'MJod  is  in  His  temple,"  and  has  reference  to 
(k)d,  the  Son.— (JJJJ:  B5).  I  am  the  (rod  of  Bethel,  thus  dweHin<r  with 
the  sons  of  men.     (Prov.  S  :  81  and  J50  :  4). 

And  El-elolie— Israel.— (Gen.  J5:}:  20).  :\Iar<xin  (rod,  the  (fod  of 
Israel  Here,  El  means  (Jod,  Fl-ohe  Israel- the  (rod  of  Israel:  and 
El-oi  means  my  (rod.  (Mark  ir)::U).  Or,  as  in  :\ratt..  omittin,ii;  the 
o,Kl-i— mv  God,  (27  :  4C>)  El-i— my  God. 

.The  Hebrew  often  doubles  to  emphasize  feelinj^'s  or  zeal.  \N  e 
find  in  the  Hebrew  some  other  word  often  coupled  to  the  name  of 
God.  So  I  think  the  inscription  on  those  temple  remains  have  refer- 
ence to  the  real  Deitv.  The  critics  say  they  do  not  know  whether 
the  true  reading'  is  Mul-lil  or  Kl-lil.  When  it  is  understood,  it  will 
be  found,  so  I  tliink,  to  relate  to  the  real  Deity,  or  to  His  house. 

I  believe  it  was  built  by  those  antediluvians  and  dedicated  by  them 
to  the  Lord  (rod  Almij^ht'y.  Oain  and  his  family,  no  doubt,  continued 
to  worship  (rod.  I  think  he  repented  and  was  pardoned  of  (rod.  The 
mark  set  on  him  of  (Jod  implies  that ;  and  he  was  under  His  pro- 
tection as  one  whom  He  for-iveth.  There  was  no  form  of  idolatry 
invented  then;   nor  even  t hou-ht  of.     So  it  seems,   it  is  a    later  pro- 

The  close  resembhuice  of  this  most  ancient  lan»,nia<j:e  to  the  Hebrew 
is  in  evidence  that  the  Hebrew  was  the  speech  of  the  antediluvians. 
Of  course  it  would  under^'o  considerable  chan.<?e  from  then,  until  the 
time  of  Moses.     As  the  old  En-lish   is  much  like  a  forei<.'n   lan«.nia«?e 

to  us  now.  ,      ^  1  .        i-  /vwi 

Idolatry,   I   believe,  was  a  corruption  of  the  true  worship  of  (rod. 

And  the  idea  of  a  i)lurnlity  of  ^'ods,  I  believe,  is  a  corruption  of  he 
true  doctrine  of  the  Trinity.  There  is  then,  in  every  species  of  idol- 
atry, so  I  think,  an  occult  witness  to  the  true  religion;  which  was 
understood  by  all  men  in  antediluvian  times,  and  on  down  unto  the 
buildin-  of  Babel's  tower,  before  tliey  were  deceived  by  the  devil  into 
idolatrf.      In  the  sacred  history  we  see  soirie  of  his  methods. 

He  first  tempted  Adam  and  Eve  to  unfaithand  disobedience.  Then 
Cain  to  iealousy,  to  malice,  and  to  murder.  Xext,,  the  first  Lamech 
to  bre^k  the  laws  of  marria^^e.  by  marrying  two  wives;  the  first  and 
only  case  of  tlie  kind,  however,  mentioned  in  ^^^;;!lf;;^'  IL^lf jj^^;^^^^^ 
torv      Then     lon<r  after,  he  tempted   the  sons  of  Seth  to   break   o\er 

Wiime  h^^^iolecfrtde  and  marr}  daughters  oi;  Cain's  clescent;  which 
they  did    until  in  their  temerity  "they  took  them  wives  of  all  nnIkJ 
ley  chose-"  next  to  do  violence  unto  their  fellows.     Then   when 

t  ^  llad  ;;ne  so  long  in  disobedience  and  transgress  on  -0. out  being 
punished;  being  now  warned  of  coming   punishment,   the>    b(lle^e(l 

not  His  approaching  judgments.  ^  ,iri.,kin-' 

After  the  flood  he  tempted  the  preacher  himsell,  to  dram  drinkin^ 

until  he  c^otdn^^         then  his  son  and  grandson  to  do  him  irreverence. 


211 


THE  STORY  OF  CKEATTOX. 


Bvindbv  he  tempted  Ximrod  to  .in  a-ainst  God;,  providence;  to 
S^lslead 'ui  he  eoulfl  into  fal.e  notions  and  into  f^f  J-^  -P'^^^t/n 
thii*^  he  bv  and  bv,  enthroned  himself,  as  the  j,'od  of  the  f^^^^J^^" 
wodd     Pallid  -the*  .od  of  this  world."     The  spiri^t  that  now  worketh 

in  the  children  of  disobedience:"  (2  ^'-'•-  "^  ^l^'^'J^^lP  ij  ^^^^^^  There 
4^  to  the  oric^in  of  religion,  it  be<<an  when  (rod  created  man  here 
isfs  nsein'^hich  reli,ion  is  natural  to  man  He  was  creat.^^^ 
only  capable  of  reli-ion,  but  verily,  reli-ious.  And  after  he  ^el'/'*^"^ 
hW  iirst^es^^^^^  he  ;till  retained  in  his  nature  n.any  reh^^mus  charac- 
t^^ris^ti./  It  is  still  natural  for  man  to  fear  (Jod,  to  believe  in  future 
rewards  for  the  -ood,  and  in  future  punishments  for  the  bad 

So  there  is  a  natural  reli-ion.  No  one,  however,  since  the  fall  of 
man  can  be  Scripturally,  evan;?elically  relij^ious,  without  being  a 
be'rever  in  Christ,  as  his  own  personal  Savior,  and  ^-.^^n  era  ted  by  tl  e 
Snirit  of  (Jod,  and  livin-  in  contradistinction  to  His  life  before,  in 
newness  of  life,  after  tlfe  pattern  of  the  life  of  Christ,  as  far  as  we  are 
required  to  walk  in  His  steps.  But  some  wil  not  understand  that^, 
and  will  think  or  ask,  -How  can  these  thin^^^  be.  )^^t  the> 
must  be,  for  a  sinner  to  -et  to  Heaven.     (John  iiu ,  ^^tt    IS  ,p. 

These  critics  suppose  from  the  inscriptions  on  the  tab  ets  that  this 
crod  at  a  later  date  became  the  Bel  of  the  Semites  of  tiiat  country. 
This  is  the  very  transition  I  have  been  speakincr  of.  Bel,  or  liaai, 
means  lord,  or'master.  They,  under  Ximrod,  transferred  it  from  (xod 
to  the  sun-(mlled  him  Bel,  or  Baal.  The  city  of  Sepharvaini,  or  Sip- 
para,  is  called  the  ancient  city  of  the  Babylonian  sun  «:od.  This  Sip- 
harvaim  is  a  Bible  name  of  a  city  of  either  Babylonia  or  Assyria 
Ximrod,  doubtless,  had  this  temple  built.  If  not,  those  who  followed 
his  false  ideas  and  false  worship  must  have  built  It.  ^.    ,     ,  •     4- 

He  is  the  first  on  record  who  taught  idolatry;  and  the  hrst  object 
he  tau«'ht  them  to  worship  was  the  sun.  Then  the  moon— called  the 
queen  of  Heaven.     Then  the  stars— called  the  host  of  Heaven 

\fterward,  tiiey  say  this  Bel  was  replaced  by  Bel  iMerodach,  of  Baby- 
lon, a  younger  deity.*  This  is  the  second  step  in  the  decline.  In  this 
thev  descended  from  worshipping  heavenly  objects  to  worshipping 
earthly  creatures,  until  hardly  any  kind  of  animal  escaped  their  tolly 
of  veneration.  Bel,  or  Baal,  having  become  the  tiy  god,  became  a 
general  psuedonym  for  all  living  creatures  in  many  countries— wor- 
shipped with  like  ceremonies  in  them  all. 

The  next  step  was  a  descent  to  Beelzebub,  the  chief  of  the  devils— 
or  the  devil  himself.  That  is  the  bottom  of  every  form  of  idolatry. 
And  so  well  established  did  he  become  in  all  heathen  lands,  that  he 
claimed  -'all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world,  and  the  glory  of  them  ;'*  and 
boasted  that  he  had  the  disposal  of  them  all,  with  all  their  fame. 
(Luke  4  :5-7).  But  since  the  coming  of  Christ,  and  his  work  for  man, 
the  head  of  his  power  over  mankind  has  been  bruised,  ((ren.  8: 
15).  The  devil  took  a  big  hand  in  idolatry  from  the  start.  It  was  a 
new  thing  in  the  earth ;  up-to-date.  He  made  all  he  could  out  of  it ; 
men  thought  it  an  advance. 

In  all  the  lusts  and  violence  of  the  old  world,  idolatry  is  not  once 
mentioned  in  that  account.  It  was  an  invention  of  the  new  world. 
Satan  thought  in  this  specious  way  to  get  them   to  worship  himself; 


) 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATTOX. 


2l:$. 


i 


I) 


blinded  them  as  he  does  others  today.  Xo  doubt,  but  they  thought 
it  was  science  or  philosophy;  but  indirectly  it  was  devil  worship. 
Some  savage  tribes  worship  the  devil  now  openly,  professedly,  to  keep 
on  ^'ood  terms  with  him.  The  half  civilized  worship  him  indirect  y. 
But  in  countries  enlightened  by  only  worldly  wisdom,  he  hides  his 
cloven  foot  from  them,  yet  they  worship  him  all  the  same.     (James 

3:15,  1  Cor.  1:21).  .... 

Some  of  them  think  it  is  philosophy,  some  that  it  is  science,  some 
that  is  refined  literature,  some  that  it  is  morality ;  but  it  is  tlie  devil. 
Some  of  them  are  so  badly  deceived  by  him   they  wil    declare  that 
there  is  no  devil  at  all.     Cromwell  said  to  his  artist.  "Paint  me  w-^ith 
my  scars."     But  the  devil  tries  to  hide  his.     He  knows  if  they  hnd 
him  out  thev  will  all  quit  him  at  once,  so  he  won't  let  tJiem  see  be- 
hind the  curtain.     Thus  blinded  by  the  devil  are  they.     (2  Cor.  ^J,  4), 
In  those    most   ancient   records  are  found,  it  is  said,  hymns  art- 
dressed  to  the  gods.     They  may  have  been  among  the  antediluvians, 
who  often  used  the  plural  term  in  pure  worship  to  the  Lord,  growing 
out  of  their  ideas  of  the  Trinity,  in  persons  three,  yet  e^^^f "t^ally 
one.    I  think  they  certainly  used  hymns  in  worshiping  Uod  /lhr^>h»^ 
teaches  that  Enoch  prophesied  or  taught  publicly,  (Jude  14,  L>),  and 
Noah   preached.- (2  Pet.  2:5,  1  Cor.  14:3.)      And  ^^^^-^^^^^^ 
prayers,  and  public  discourses  were  transferred  from  the  tiuc  nnoi- 
ship  of  God  to  idols  from  these  customs,  I  think. 

Those  hymns  are  said  to  bear  a  close  resemblance  to  the  poetry  of 
the  Hebrew  race  and  to  their  hymns,  both  in  substance  and  expres- 
son  alther  evidence  that  the  Hebrew  was  the  firs  langnage  on 
earth,  and  perhaps,  of  heaven,  too,  and  the  only  speech  of  the  world 
until  Babel's  confusion.  •  ,    i     «      i    ,  i 

And  further,  it  is  said,  are  found  tl.ore.  an  ae.-,u,.l,  of  ;'■«'''"'' 
Af  ..rpation-  verv  much  like  the  text  in  Uenesis.  I  have  thouj^ht 
?hat  t*  e  book  o  Ge"  esis  was,  perhaps,  eompiled  fron,  an,-ient  rec- 
ord, which  the  Lord  had  his  faithful  servants  to  prepare  n,  ea.d 
enerrti^n  fron,  Adam  to  Moses,  and  to  keep  as  the  nel.v  o™.-  es  of 
H  kinsdon,  on  earth,  as  did  the  children  of  .lacoh  =1  -«-'^;^f  (•^<;f^ 
7-ii8,  Rom.  ilA)  and  now  both  nature  and  art,  as  faithful  witnes.sea, 

"■■l  X";rth;nk.'u,..u«b,  that  anythm.  in  the  book  of  Genesis  was 
M  from  a   V  of  those  .-lay  tablets,  bn(,  1  believe  they  are  both 
from  the   same  source.      Cain  knew  that   Adan>   had  an  account  of 
crealion   a  K  aflo    he  was  separated  from  the  rest  he  ^nedtocow  i 
from   memorv   the  best  he  ••ould  for  his  posterity,  to^ret her  with  all 

'''T.'ihe   oromised   seed  was  coursing  its  way  from  Adam  through 
As  the   Virj'y''\t  that  the  track  of  inspiration  would 

the  line  of  Seth,  it  is  ^2'PP^^«;;'|  .  Testament  was  to  be  a  witness  for 
follow  in  the  same  line.  Fhe  Old  ^f/^^/J'^'  ;\,  ^  y^,,^^  (John 
the  Messiah,  so  it  followed  along  with  Him  ^^'^  ^^f./;^^  "^^  to 

5.^9    1  Pet    1   11)       It  ^eems  that  the  very  Spirit  ^^a^  stiug„iiu„  iu 


2U. 


THE  STOFvY  OF  rREATTOX. 


THE  STORY  OF  (CREATION. 


'2}:). 


express  Himsrlf  throii-h  the  holy  prophets,  from  Eiiocli  on  to  Mala- 

chi,  on  this  crreat  subject.  ....       •    i    • 

As  the  web  of  the  chrysalis  is  wovoti  whilo  1  he  perfect  beinj?  is  being 
developed  in  it,  so  the  work  of  the  f)ilde,  especially  in  preparing  its  ma- 
terials, must  be-in  as  early  as-  the  first  germ  of  redemptive  life  was 
conceived  and  follow  the  development  of  that  life  until  P^^rjection  is 
found  for  it  in  the  New  Testament.  (Heb.  10:7-14,  2  Tim.  1  :1(0.  That 
is  the  fullness,  the  perfection  of  its  being.  So  the  line  of  inspiration, 
of  Frdde  building,  followed  the  course  of  the  promised  ^e(H\  all  along 
through  the  liienerations  to  its  completion. 

The  Holv'Spirit.  the  spirit  of  Ohrist,  the  spirit  of  the  hather,  is 
the  real  author  of  the  Bible,  except  that  which,  if  one  might  so 
speak,  was  command<Ni  by  the  Father.  Himself,  as  in  the  case  of 
some,  and  by  the  Son,  as  was  frequent  iy  done  in  both  testaments. 
And  the  Spirit  began  to  prepare  material  for  the  Bible  very  early — 
gave  us  that  which  no  human  historian  ct)uld  reach,  nor  philosopher 
dis<'over,  neither  scientist  penetrate — that  is  the  facts  of  cM-eation. 

Paul  is  a  irreater  figure  in  the  .\ew  Testament  than  Luke,  yet  Luke 
wrote  the  great  life  Of  Paul.  So  in  the  .\dorable  Trinity  the  Son  is 
liigher  thaO  the  Spirit,  but  it  was  the  work  of  the  Spirit  to  give  us 
the  full  story  of  the  Son  of  God  from  Genesis  to  Revelation. 

Because  they  have  not,  as  yet,  found  the  remains  of  temples  in 
the  line  of  Seth"s  race  from  Adam,  in  antediluvian  time,  is  no  reason 
to  cause  us  to  suppose  they  had  none.  They  may  yet  be  found.  I 
think  they  had  houses  of  "worship,  where  a  pure  worship  was  offered 
to  the  I^ord  of  all,  according  to  that  dispensation  of  His  grace. 

I  think  that  before  Gain  slew  Abel  that  Adam  and  all  of  them  had 
settled  in  that  land  afterward,  <'alled  the  land  of  Canaan.  In  thi.s 
land  the  first  human  blood  was  she<l.  Then  the  Lord  sent  Gain  and 
his  family  back  to  the  east ,  whence  they  came.  Mere  he  and  his 
posterity  built  up  that  civilization,  the  remains  of  whi<'h  have  been 
examined  and  pronounce<i  the  oldest  yet  found.  \A'hile  Adam,  vSeth, 
and  all  that  line  dwelt  in  Canaan  and  spread  out  over  all  those 
western  lands.  I  think  this  was  the  home  of  all  the  great  patriarchs 
in  Setlv?r  line,  down  to  Noah,  Proofs  of  their  civilization  and  faith 
may  vet  be  found.  The  site  of  Eden's  garden  may  still  be  found, 
with  the  date  of  creation  and  other  pritnal  facts  written  by  .\dani. 

The  supposed  dates,  whether  great  or  small,  of  writers,  are  no 
proofs  of  time  whatever.  H  any. date  is  clearly  made  out  to  be  as 
much  as  2. ;")()(»  years  before  the  Christian  era,  I  would  suppose  that 
it  was  made  in  antediluvian  time  by  antediluvians  themselves.  Of 
course,  those  which  describe  the  deluge  w<'re  written  since  that  event; 
and,  as  there  are  discrepancies  in  tables  of  Bible  chronology,  we  may 
exj)ect  to  find  them  in  these  dates  on  monuments  and  clay  tablets, 
or  elsewhere. 

\V<'  have  successfully  shown  that  the  Jews  were  never  in  a  savage 
state.  From  the  days  of  A))raham,  as  did  the  antediluvians,  they 
understood  tin*  use  of  the  ordinary  metals.  In  the  times  of  the 
Judges  they  had  bla<*ksmiths  and  artificers  in  fine  metals  that  made, 
tiled  and  sharpened  tools  for  domestic  use  and  for  warfare.  (Judges 
«:21.  22.  r):8;    1  Sam.  17  :Ji8,  m)).       In  the    age  of    I.<aac   and    Laban 


P 


they  had  ornaments  of  silver  and  gol<L  (Gen.  24  rT)*})  and  coin  of  sil- 
ver in  the  times  of  the  Friend  of  ilod.  (Gen.2JJ:16)  and  gold  valued 
by  the  shekel.     (Gen.  24:22).     All  evidences  of  civilization. 

Artificial  lights  are  also  considered  good  evidences  of  civilization. 
In  the  time  of  Moses  the  Israelites  had  a  tine  arrangement  for  liglit- 
ing  the  tabernacle  by  well-prepared  vegetable  oil,  and  afterwards  for 
the  temple.  In  the  days  of  Eli's  administration  they  kept  the 
lamps  burning  all  night  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  at  Shiloh. 

Gideon  used  lamps  in  his  campaign  against  the  ^lidianites.  They 
were  used  on  wedding  and  all  festival  occasions  by  night — for  night 
traveling,  domestic  use,  and  when  sailing  on  water  at  night.  They 
were  familiar  to  the  Jews  in  the  days  of  Christ  on  earth.  St.  John 
and  Zechariah  both  speak  of  them  in  prophecy.  One  writer  says  the 
use  of  wicks  for  lamps  and  candles  was  discovered  about  a  century 
ago.  ('ertainly  he  never  studied  the  Bible  on  the  subject;  for  the 
candlestick,  or  its  lamps  in  the  tabernacle,  they  had  snuff-dishes. 
(Ex.  2r):88).  They  would  not  have  needed  snufT-dishes  without  they 
had  wicks.  The  directions  Moses  received  in  regard  to  making  the 
lamps,  proceed  as  if  he  had  been  familiar  with  such  things.  They 
must  have  been  in  use  before  his  time;  ((ren.  ir):l7)  the  burning 
lamp  is  here  spoken  of  as  being  then  familiar.  It  implies  a  constant, 
steady  light,  instead  of  .something  of  a  flashy  nature.  , 

The  lamp  is  mentioned  in  Job  12:5.  This  is  the  next  oldest  book 
to  Genesis.  Here  a  backslider  is  compared  to  a  neglected  lamp,  as 
in  the  case  of  the  foolish  virgins,  (Matt.  25:8).  Job  18:r)  speaks  of 
the  candle,  metaphorically,  however.     This  is  its  first  mention. 

Xo  historian  can  tell  when  modern  candles  were  invented,  or  first 
u.sed,  nor  do  we  know  whether  this  was  like  any  of  the  modern  ones 
X>r  not.  In  Job  21  :17  candle  is  a<ain  mentioned  in  figurative  lan- 
guage, and  also  in  29:8  allusively.  .Now,  in  every  phice  it  implies 
thar  candles  were- then  known  literally,  or  the  language  would  have 
been  unintelligent  to  that  generation  of  readers. 

I  don't  see  myself  how  Xoah  could  have  been  <'omfortable  on  the 
waters  of  the  deluge,  though  in  the  ark  at  night  without  an  artificial 
light;  nor  do  I  see  how  Methuselah  could  g(»  through  so  many 
nfghts  as  he  did  without  them  ;  neither  do  I  se<'  how  A<lam  could 
live  980  years  without  inventing  them  for  his  use.  Certainly  the 
genius  that  invented  tents,  harps,  and  organs,  invented  candles  and 
famps,  too.  I  think  they  were  used  quite  early  in  Adam's  family.^ 
If  it  is  an  evidence  of  (civilization,  then  surely  thojie  has  always,  sincel  ^  ^ 
man's  creation,  been   civilization    in   the   world.      Doubtless,  that  is 

the  truth. 

For  the  lamps  in  the  tabernacle,  olive  oil  well  beaten,  was  used. 
And  all  (»f  the  metallic  part  of  the  candlestick,  with  alj  of  itrt 
branches,  and  lamps,  were  of  pure  gold,  well  beaten.  (Kx.  25:81-40). 
And  as  to  impressing  letters  on  a  clay  mould.  Job  understood  that. 
(Job  88-14),  "turned  as  clay  to  the  seal."  An  allusion  to  thus  .seal- 
ing contracts,  as  are  found  on  those  clay  tablets  spoken  of  above,  and  . 
as  men  do  now,  using  paper  and  ink.  This  last  method  was  known 
in  St.  John's  time.  8  John,  verse  18.  Job  lived,  I  think,  in  the  end 
of   patriarchal  times,    between  the  twelve   patriarchs  of   Israel   and 


•21(>. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION 


Moses  \nd  we  see  that  sealing  records  in  a  clay  mould  was  faimliar 
in  his  acre  of  the  world.  Job  was  then  oalled  a  man  of  the  east,  as 
was  Abnim,  before  he  came  to  (^,anaan.  And  it  is  in  tliese  same  east- 
ern  countries  where  annals,  contracts  an«l  poetry  are  found,  thus  pre- 
served bv  art  and  nature  :  witnessing  to  Bible  statements  of  the  same 
iimes  and  customs.  They  show,  too,  that  the  antediluvian  customs 
were  brouglit  over  into  the  post-diluvian  world,  and  that  it  is  the 
same  race'of  people,  with  the  old  civilization.  ,   .,     .• 

\nd  the  art  of  engraving  letters  on  stone  was  used  in  Job  s  time: 
and  in  allusion  to  it  he  speaks  of  an  iron  pen.  So  they  used  the  pen 
wrote  and  printed,  in  Job's  age  of  the  world.  Printing,  then,  must 
liave  been  tiie  pn>cess  of  stamping  on  those  soft  moulds  of  clay.  1-or 
cnerraviir'  'in  the  rock*  thev  must  have  used  an  iron  or  steel  drill, 
forced  by  tlie  stroke  of  a  hammer.  Iron  and  .steel  both  were  used 
then  (Job  '>(>-24).  'The  iron  weapon  and  the  bow  of  steel.'  Job 
also  speak,  of  books.  (Oh.  19  :2:5-24.).  This  is  the  oldest  date  book  is 
mentioned  in  the  Bible.  In  Ex.  17:14,  the  word  book  has  priority 
of  place  but  in  Job  it  has  priority  in  time.  Kecent  excavations  in 
those  lands  show  that  as  far  back  as  Job's  time,  and  farther,  even 
into  the  age  of  Adam,  they  had  in  those  countries  what  were  called 
books— in"  his  clay  material— thus  stamped,  or  printed.  Before  Job's 
day  the  Egvptians  were  writing  on  paper  of  the  papyrus,  or  the  bul- 
rush plant,"  which  art  is  said  to  date  back  of  Moses'  day ;  which  mate- 
rial could  be  made  water  proof,  (Ex.  2  :5i),  when  a  mother's  love  saved 
by  it  Israel's  great  deliverer  and  lawgiver. 

And  that  law,  thus  given,  the  Israelites  were  commanded  of  the 
Lord,  to  write  on  stones.  (Deul.  27:8).  If  they  couldn't  write,  they 
could  not  have  done  so;  to  write  them  so  plainly  that  their  children 
could  read  them.  It  implies  that  their  children  could  read.  They 
plastered  stones  for  this  purpose.  As  we  now  often  see  stones  by  the 
public  roadsitle  bearing  advertisements,  so  those  i)f  old  bore  (rod's 
commandments;  and  plainly  enough  for  every  wayfaring  man  to  find 
his  way  to  the  celestial  home 

That  must  have  been  a  pretty  scene;  much  better  than  pictures  of 
circus  shows.  What  a  pity  that  our  public  rocks,  whose  beauty 
belongs  to  all,  should  be  thus  defaced  for  the  sake  of  revenue!  And 
none  of  them  ever  have  the  fairness  of  principle  to  return  and  wash  it  otf. 
They  were  commanded  to  write  the  ten  commandments  over  their 
doors.'  (Deut.  6:9,  11  :20;.  What  if  you  should  go  to  town  and  see 
them  written  over  every  man's  store,  palacekjjr  other  place  of  busi- 
ness? And  how  beautiful  to  see  the  like  of  if^all  out  in  the  country, 
too;  and  all  it  implies  practiced  under  it. 

St-ones  were  often  set  up  as  witnesses.  As  this  stone  is  witness, 
(Gen.  81  :48,  r)l-iV2.  Josh.  4:5,  6,  20,  21,  22,  24.  Here  Jacob  and  Laban 
made  a  covenant,  as  of  stone.  And  the  Israelites  had  many  memo- 
rials in  stone.  It  was  also  customary  in  those  days,  to  write  on 
tables  or  slabs  of  stone,  where  they  could  be  procured.  Hence,  are 
found  now  records  on  slabs,  or  tables  of  stone,  in  eastern  countries, 
of  remarkable  events  that  occurred  in  those  days  among  ditterent 
nations  of  people. 

Some  of  the  l)attles,   with  the  results,   between   the   Hebrews  and 


1 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


217 


f 


^ 


t 


,C 


/) 


another  people,  are  found  thus  recorded  by  them,  while  the  Hebrew 
account  of  them  is  preserved  in  the  Bible;  quite  well  agreeing 
together  in  statement  of  the  facts,  but  showing  the  superiority  of  the 
Hebrew  over  the  lower  methods. 

The  beginnings  of  the  arts  we  have  been  discoursing  upon,  no  man 
can  tell,  but  this  is  the  general  teaching  of  the  Bible  on  the  subject . 
Every  useful  art,  craft  or  invention,  or  discovery,  bringing  knowledge 
and  happiness  to  mankind,  is  of  God;  who  by  instinct,  reason,  faith 
and  helpful  suggestions  did  teach  them. 


CHAPTER   XV. 


The  Holy  Spirit,  in  using  a  human  agent,  suiters  his  peculiar 
style  of  writing  to  distinguish  him  by  his  personalities  from  all  oth- 
ers; hence  Daniel  is  different  from  all  the  rest  of  the  prophets.  The 
self-constituted  critics  have  handled  him  for  it,  too. 

If  he  was  a  public  speaker,  he  must  have  been  a  very  fluent  one. 
A  trained  Hebrew  from  a  child,  in  royalty  afterward,  established  in 
the  courts  of  Babylon,  his  education  sympathized  with  both  peoples ; 
so  he  W'as  a  happy  combination  of  the  good  he  extracted  from  them 
both.  His  writings  partake  of  the  qualities  of  the  statesman,  as  well 
as  of  the  prophet.     He  excelled  greatly  in  both. 

Take  this  as  an  example.  Ch.  2:44.  This  is  understood,  as  far  as 
I  know,  to  mean  Christianity.  I  do  not,  however,  think  it  means 
that  she  shall  ever  be  a  temporal  government;  nor  shall  she,  never- 
theless, being  a  spiritual  government,  mix  in  with  the  spiritual  a 
temporal  pow^er;  but  through  her  holy  spiritual  influences  she  shall 
tone  up  the  temporal  powers,  so  as  to  ameliorate,  soften  and  refine 
them,  so  they  will  acknowledge  Christian  truth,  and  also  practice  it. 
And  according  to  many  other  Scriptures,  they  shall  become  Chris- 
tian, both  nationally  and  and  personally.  The  time  this  kingdom 
was  to  be  set  up  is  specified.  It  was  to  be  during  the  sovereignty  of 
the  Roman  government,  which  history  shows  to  have  been  true  of 
Christianity. 

The  prophecy  says  they  shall  mingle  themselves  with  the  seed  of 
men,  that  is,  the  Romans  shall  mix  themselves  with  other  peoples, 
which  history  shows  they  did.  So  many  nationalities  brought  to- 
gether against  their  own  will,  under  a  system  of  government  they 
did  not  like,  w^ould  not  naturally  cleave  together ;  for  while  Roman 
patriotism  would  be  like  iron  sinews  in  support  of  their  chosen  form 
of  government,  the  adhesion  of  the  conquered  would  be  as  brittle  as 

burnt  clay. 

Whether  or  not  that  great  government  went  to  pieces  for  want  of 
natural  adhesion  in  its  several  parts— nevertheless  it  did  go  to  i)ieces 
and  the  prophecy  was  and  is  fulfilled  ;  not  by  the  prediction  of  a  wise 
statesman,  calciilated  from  the  result  of  elements  now  at  work,  but 
as  foreseen  by  the  prophet  centuries  before,  whereas,  yet  there  was 
nothing  of  It  in  sight  to  base  a  prediction  upon,  it  was  revealed  to  him 
from  above.  He*was  inspired  of  God.  We  see  the  fulfillment,  in  part, 
at  least,  and  how  much  remains  to  be  fulfilled  I  do  not  claim  to  know. 
We  know  that  while  the  Roman  government  had  in  it  great  strength 


2  IS. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATfOX. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


•2J'). 


an.l  <.rHlumn(V,  it  also  had  in  it  elemotits  of  woaknoss,  and  tlie  NAeak- 
est  of  all  was  their  own  wickedness  in  the  si-ht  .>f  hi-h  lieaNvn.      It    . 
ha^  lon<'  since  been  swept    away   from  the  earth,  except  wliat    of  it 
ivniains'^in  art.  history,  law,  politics,  science  and  literature.   A  stand- 
iui;  precedent  of  warnin";  to  all  others;  . 

All  Governments  w.)iild  also  do  well  to  duly  consider  what  issaid  iri 
Ps.  'i-O-l-i,  in  prophecy  of  Christ,  concerning:  whose  kmjxdonj  Daniel 
prophesied.  Many  a  i,''overninent  has  been  broken  to  pieces  like  a  pot- 
ter's vessel.  Many  others  have  seem in<r]y  moved  on  in  their  pros- 
peritv  without  considerinir  the  real  cause  of  it;  or  of  the  failure  of 
oth.H-s  that  stood  (ait  in  hold  relief  (.neither  side,  as  examples  of 
warninir  airainst  infidelity  toward  (rod  and  His  Christ ,  and  His  spirit- 
ual chn'ins  upon  all  men,  afid  temporal  claims,  t(io,  has  he  upon  all 
men  which  none  should  (lare  to  iirnore. 

The  judi^es  of  men  and  executors  of  law  would  do  well  to  consider 
the  obli^'aCions  they  are  undtM- to  that  Supreme  .hidu-eof  all  men, 
t^xecutorof  law,  and  dis])urser  of  its  rewards  and  penalt ies. 

Tlie  breadth  of  that  proplun-y.  (Dan.  '2:15),  embraces  also  the  Gre- 
eian,  Tersian  and  Babylonian  i^'overnnu^nts.  And  as  the  Romaii,  they 
are  all  j?one,  long  since,  except  what  of  them  still  lives  in  civil,  lit- 
erary and  mural  iivHiiences.  (I's.  2:11).  Here  the  rulers,  the  judges- 
all  that  are  in  aut  hority  on  eart  h— are  exhorted  toserve  the  Lord  with 
fear.  TIh^v  should  do  this  at  all  timt^s.  And  when  they  have  (X*ca- 
sion  for  rejoicing,  tlie  same  verse  leaches,  to  rejoice  with  trembling. 
And  why?  Because  nil  would  do  well  to  remember  His  judgmi>nts 
upon  Nebuchadnezzar  and  Herod,  who  took  more  honor  to  themselves 
than  they  should  have  done,  instead  of  acknowledging  to  their  people 
what  they  owed  to  (iod;  and  that  in  a  public  maimer — by  speech  or 
print,     (ban.  t:'2i)  ;JL  Acts  12:21-2:i). 

And  let  all  who  think  they  can  make  small  variations  from  His 
laws  with  impunity  consider  what  He  says  in  Ps.  2:12.  They  may 
think  thev  cau  set  aside  His  Sabbath  at  times,  to  suit  their  conven- 
ience  or  pleasure,  yet  it  is  not  ))est  to  provok(?  His  wrath;  no,  not  in 
the  least.  It  would  be  a  serious  emerge!U'y  that  would  justify  any 
government  to  carry  on  any  of  its  legitimate  business  on  the  Sabbath 
day,  or  in  its  evening  either.  Executive,  legislative,  judicial,  postal, 
military  or  other  work  or  business,  should  tarry  till  that  holy,  revered  a 
time  is  all  i)ast. 

Yet  wh«^n  His  initial  judgments  are  coming,  their  so-called  wise 
men  will  endeavor  to  explain  them  ail  away.  But  it  would  be  better, 
by  far,  to  consider  that  the  stroke  of  an  angel  destroyed  in  ;i  .single 
night  1 8'),* )0(>  Assyrian  armed  soldiers.  (2  ICings  18:8')).  And  some 
of  them  had  the  temerity  to  try  to  explain  that  away,  too.  (.\cts  18: 
S-lt));  yet  it  remains  a  fact,  all  the  same.  There  be  those,  too,  who 
try  to  tin<i  some  significant,  or  t^ven  insignificant,  if  they  can,  fault 
with  the  language  of  the  Scriptures;  but  that,don"t  amount  to  any- 
thing. It  will  never  do  them,  or  any  one  else,  a  [)article  of  good. 
The  thing  for  every  one  to  do,  rulers  and  allothers,  is  to  get  its 
j>less(xl  meaning,  take  its  supreme  comfort ,  and  the  present  liappi- 
ness  promised  in  obeying  its  teachings. .  .\nd  to  all  such  as  f(^llow  onj,ts 
happy  way,  which  shines  "iriore  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day,"  an 


imi 


i 


f. 


(' 


eternal  felicity  is  promi.sed.  (Prov.  4:18).  It  is  the  more  important 
for  those  in  office,  as  it  is  written,  ''like  ])riest,  like  people.  (H(>s.  4: 
()-ll).  And  is  true,  too,  of  all  in  civil  and  military  offices,  they  are 
called,  also,  shepherds  of  the  people.  (Is.  r)():9-12.  H  the  whole 
head  is  sick,  if  the  whole  heart  is  faint,  the  whole  political  body  sym- 
pathizes with  them.  (Is.  1  :2-lO).  The  public  follows  them  and  suf- 
fers with  them.  These  words  of  the  Lord,  long  before  they  came  to 
pass,  were  s])oken  and  written  and  wer(»  fearfully  fulfilled.  And  the 
dealings  of  Providence  with  the  j)eople  of  Israel,  which  make  a  large 
part  of  Bible  history,  are  on  record  by  His  orders,  for  the  benefit  of 
all  otlier  ]i(M)ple,  and  that  for  all  time  tu  come. 

Dan.  9:24,  I  think,  gives  us  to  understand  that  after  the  destruc- 
tion of  .lerusalem  by  the  Romans,  A.  I).,  70,  with  her  temple  and 
her  altars,  that  henceforth  vision  and  ])rophecy  should  cease.  But 
If  is  judgments  are  prepared  for  all  time  to  come. 

^Miracles,  according  to  history,  ceased,  too,  about  that  time,  which 
would  be  expected  from  the  fact,  that  the  spirit  of  proi)hecy  and- the 
|)Ower  to  perform  iriiracles  were  always  associated  together — all  since 
claimed  ^asl-miracdes  and  revelations  are  only  invent  ions  of  human 
beings,  aided  by  the  devil.  It  seems,  however,  that  a  time  of  mira- 
cles is  to  rc^turn  to  the  (^-arth,  not  jnira(des  of  mercy,  though,  but  of 
judgment. 

.  .  It  app(\ars  that  the  time  has  passed  for  obvious  demonstrations  of 
extraordinary  j)ower;  yet  the  Lord  is  permitting  or  doing  wonders 
every  day  greater  than  all  the  miracles  on  record.  Rev.  l():21])re- 
diets  a  time  of  miracles.  As  history  does  not  not  describe  its  fulfil- 
ment it  must  be  yet  to  come. 

In  Zechariah,  fourteenth  chaj)ter  and  at  the  first  ver-^e,  the  |)roj)het 
])egins  at  times   close  to   his  own  day.      From  the  first  to  the  third 
verse,  I   think,  were  fulfilled   before   the   coming  of  Christ.      Tluvse 
wercvevil  days  to  the  Jews,  but  they  gaint^l  many  signal  i)rovideidial 
victories  over  their  enemies.     Verses' fourth  and   fifth   refer  to  the 
work  of  Christ  on  tnirth,  unto  the  time  of  (%)nstantine  the  (Jreat  and 
the   triumph  of  (^Christianity  in  that  age.     Vers(^s  sixth  and  seventh 
relate  to  the   dark   ages  that  followed,  which  were  not  entirely  dark, 
yet  lacked  much  of  bt^mg  clear,  at  the  end  of  which  was  light,  in  the 
dawning  of   the   reformation   which    follbw(Ml.     Correlative  wit  h   Hiis 
period  The  ei<jhth  verse  was  fulfilled  in  tin-  happy  experience  of  justi- 
fication   by    faith    in    Christ,  and  was  continuously    fulfilled   in    the 
blessed  experiences  of  grace,  which  Cod's  people  then  and  have  since 
enioved       While  in  tlu^  present  missionary  work  and  movements  the 
ninth  verse  is  being  fulfilled-and  when  "the  fullness  of  the  <'<^n\A\es 
be  come  in'"  then  the  "si^is  of  Jacob""  shall  nMurn  to  PaU-stine.      I  he  q 
verses    tenth   and   eleventh    predict   a  happy   state  of    improvement 
in    Canaan   under  their  control.     Tlie  tw(dfth  verse  shows  after  that 
event  the  plagues  that  shall  come  up(»n  the  enemies  of  (rod  s  people, 
and   after  a  miraculous   imuuu^r  at    that,  which  thethirteenthver.se 
.shows   shall   be  especially  applicable  to  the  Turks.     Something  cor- 
responding to  the  feast  of  tabernacles  will  then  l)e  established  by  the 
Christians^t  the  suggestion  of  the  spirit  of  (>(xl   upon    their   hearts 
and  rainds;   and  all  who  will  not  observe  it  shall  be  miraculousl> ,  as 


\ 


1^20. 


THE  STORY  OFOREATTON. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION 


*J*iJ 


IS  shown  in  the  following  verses  unto  the  seventeenth,  visited  with 
peculiar  punishments.  In  relation  to  a  part  of  this  visitation  the 
Lord  asks  the  question  :  "Hath  the  rain  a  father.  '^  (Job  38 :28).  It 
does  not  come  without  a  leo^itimate  cause.  He  asks  again.  "Can  the 
heavens  give  showers?"  (Jer.  44  :22).  Nature  of  herself  cannot  <^ive 
us  rain. 

In  Hos.  2:21,  22  the  growing  crops  are  represented  as  crying  to 
the  earth,  the  earth  crying  to  the  heavens  for  moisture  and  they 
crymg  to  the  Lord  of  all  for  ability  to  answer  that  prayer,  without 
which  they  cannot  answer  the  prayer  of  those  below  them ;  but  He 
promises  that  the  heavens  shall  hear  the  earth,  that  the  earth  shall 
hear  the  cry  of  the  growing  crops  and  that  the  growing  crops  shall 
hear  the  cry  of  man's  need,  and  that,  that  need  shall  be  supplied. 
Man  ,s  at  one  end  of  the  chain  and  God  is  at  the  other.  Nature  is  at 
neither  end:  she  is  the  medium  between  the  two.  In  temporal 
things  God  answers  us— blesses  us  through  nature  in  our  own  efforts 
.^  fu"'^^^  .r'  ^^f^«'"?^^-  ^^'Od  acts  upon  nature  to  produce  the 
result,  bo  ail  good  has  a  legitimate  cause,  and  no  evil  is  without  its 
just  cause.     The  curse,  causeless,   never  comes.      It  is  always  for 

mans  dereliction  somewhere,  as  every  effect  is  traceable  to  its  own 
cause. 

K<Inrtnr''r'^''u **'""'  '''""■'  •''"*  *'"■"  Pe^-uli^rplsgue  shall  be  upon 
i'.gjpt  too  If  she  comes  not  up  to  keep  this  feast  of  tabernacles- 
for  wh.le  she  seems  not  to  have  to  depend  upon  rain  vet  if  no  ratn' 
snow  or  dew  should  fall  on  the  sources  of  th^e  Nife  shewould  be  cut 
Z"Z""l^:r'lX'':''  <^'^»''«f--  »«  -'^yot  the  rest,  which," 

U^Lment  nn  I  l-^M  "•'!"  P'"'"   "'"'"«*'  *«  ^  providential.     A 

judgment  on  her.  While  .she  may  think  she  can  «et  along  without 
rain ;  therefore  specific  warning  is  given  to  her  p;opre  for  neither 
can  they  get  along  without  Providence,  God,  in  ^nature  producing 
the  desired  results  for  all  men.  She  has  always,  as  far  as  we  know 
got  It  indirect  y  from  other  .soun-es,  which  are  fed  bv  rafn  as  snow 
IS  only  rain  after  all  and  therefore  Is  remotely  dependent  upon  r»°n 
as  much  as  others  for  her  fertility  and  crops.  There  are  no  coun 
tries  that  can  get  along  without  rain-all  are  dependent  UDonProvi" 

preachers  now      tLZ"'T'"^  ""'^'  ""'*  ""  "'  ^^^"'  »»  ^^alo»»  »«  the 


I 


e 


Iv 


1 


( 


JT) 


CUArrKH  XYI. 

Twr  cronoral    leaeliino-   of    Iho    Bible   is   seen    to   bo    true   before 

Thl  geiuial    ^^'^^'^»"-    i.wianco    if  we  lake  the  present  condition 

our  eves  everyday,     roi   msiantt,  n  ^Y  i  mMhwIc- 

often  done  only  for  a  show,  >s  of  '.h*-  •' ,  "  ',;., ,  \,  ;  ,ost  refined 
mean's  to  deceive,  and  conies  from  the  de^  1.  l.iiu  "V" '"  ,,  ^.j 
"dety  of  the  Wrecks  and  the  Romans^,  t  ,e  nn  •- A  -;,;-,,. 
Christ  and  it  was  a  bundle  "  /f,*^?'^;^™..,;^ ;';?,'  ,,  ,v1,ore  Clu-istiani- 
;';:>;.;r:;rf/y^lon'rCHe:"  r/ w:Vr;tho-,r|,atie„ce  a  mtlc  and 

^^':;oS.us'i:?i.uit  the  Lord  put  p'^- -:^';^- ^c^:;!?:;;: 

as  a  weapon  of  defence   after  f"\X^(1X^^ulhaa\M.     It  is 
of  his  feet  and  power  of  «P«"    '.'^f^^f J,   '„,,., cd  under  the  eye; 

essence  of  the  serpent  m  "'.^'"- '"'''V^'"^.,,,",  often  soon  Hoatin- 
their  arts,  the  very  jjroen  poiso  of  ^'^^^^'^P  ,;;■„„,  ,,,rd  calls  then, 
in  their  eyes.     Tt'is  a  positive  f     ;     ^"^'^"as    h.  firs,  -le.-eiver. 

..hildren  of  the  old  «"P'";!;,  "', '^V  Ml  "i  u  n  "  "»t'i"'-  "'"'  ''"  "," 
foison  is  in  the  constitution  ."f, .'''''  .'^.V.uedness  of  each.  Mil- 
increased  ratio,  according  to  t^;  '  ^in  e  he  natures  were  as- 
ton  believed  that  after  I'^^'r/"  f.,^  '"/;,„; ,  themselves  in  venal 
sailed  by  vile  passions,  »•;',*'  '^'iff^.^.rin  the  human  systcin, 
};!r^:^ieriltriu:r'e^t^:;;ai*i.Kions  Of    poisons,   as   alcohol, 

insure  personal  safety  against  ,     t  we  I    ^       ^  .^  ,,„t,  „,,„  „.arns  us 

the  Bible  not  only  leaches  us  to  '^.^'^^  ^^^  Vs'litu.le  a  safe  pla<-e  for 
to  Hee  away  from  his  presence      -Not  even    .^  _^^  ,^^,  ,,.„,  ^„ 

pietv  always,  f..r  even  lere  w  I  ♦';;  "3,  •„.„.  „,„i  p„ri.y  are 
^:i„.ist  in  the  lonely  :V''^''''T  ne^n  H  e  le  .rt  or' in  other  solitary 
safer  in  good  society  than  alone  in  th. 

walks  of  lite.  ,        ^,,.ior.     What  ihey  <-iill 

What  this  worl.l  calls  ••'•*.'-'"\'\"V;.  er  or      Then  you  will  see  .he 

human  nature  i'^ 'l<''"''''''-\l' "!.  .kLw  e-l'-o  ll'<'  "nivor^^i'l  depravity 

„<.eds  is  an  upsetting'  fro.n  on  1-igM.  .^  .^^  ,^^ 

Take  the  work  of  ''' V  rttn'id  t  .<•  i^«  "f  "''<'  ''^''''  and  of  the 
suits  will,  the  so-called  ':;',^."7/J;..  superiority  over  them,  which 
Komans  and  it  shows  an  '■"''"  P"'';;;;^  ,  ...y  ..oul.l  not  understand. 


o^o 


TTTE  STORY  OF  OKEATTOX 


I'oinpari^ioii  willi  which  the  ornamental  polish  of  the  world  is  hut  a 
show.     It  is  diplomatic  throiij^li  and  throu<rli. 

The  old  heathens  wondered  how  the  Christians  could  he  so  polite, 
and  so  kind,  and  so  <dieerful.  when  they  could  see  no  rewards  to 
come  to  them  from  the  ;i:overnmefU,  nor  from  anywliere  else  ou 
earth.  Its  like  was  never  secMi  amoii;^:  tliem  hefore.  Tlie  heathen 
expected  to  h«'  paid  for  his  kindness,  and  even  for  his  politeness  too. 
It  was  a  matter  of  diploniacy  witli  him;  and  is  to  this  day.  He 
jud<j:ed  tlie  ('hristians  hy  himself,  and  was  surprised  to  flTul  that  they 
were  not  seeking  any  personal  interest  in  l)ein<^  ])olileand  kind  to 
everyhody,  especially  to  tho.<e  in  ofTice.  Kven  Felix  expected  a  re- 
ward from  Paul,  the  prisoner  at  the  har — souj^dit  assiduously  for  it 
dav  hv  dav.  indirectly.     (Acts  *24:2lj). 

It  is  a  wonder  that  the  (-hrist ians  succeeded  as  well  as  they  did, 
H«;ainst  such  Ljrcal  odds.  Tlu^ir  enemies  said  they  turiunl  the  world 
upside  down.  They  did  it  not  of  th<MnseIves,  hut  hy  that  Divine 
power,  that  caused  thcrh  always  to  triumph.  (2  Cor.  2  :1  4).  A  religion 
with  less  credentials  is  noi  worthy  of  the  nauie. 

Science,  philosophy,  nor  other  worldly  intellij^ence  can  never  save 
the  heathens.  They  may  endeavor  to  show  them  that  their  fears  and 
their  hopes  are  superstitious,  yet  if  they  should  drive  them  away 
from  these,  they  could  do  no  more,  and  the  heathens  would  l)e  no 
nearer  salvation.  Christianity  under  Cod  can  save  then),  l)ecause 
she  offers  them  somethiuii;  hetlerthan  one  superstition  for  another. 
Those  try  to  take  away  their  fears,  and  hopes,  and  worship,  leaviufi^ 
them  hereft  as  to  the  present  antl  future  both:  while  Cdiristianity 
relieves  their  fears,  by  givinj;^  them  a  sure  source  of  protec^tion  a.ijjainst 
all  their  uiifounded  fears;  not  rohbintj  them  of  their  hopes,  but  j^iv- 
\\\y:  them  a  better — a  true  hope.  Xor  does  she  tell  then]  to  cease  to 
worship,  l)ut  directs  and  leads  them  to  the  true  object  of  worship — 
teaches  them  to  worship  arii^ht.  and  whom  to  worshi[). 

Wherever  Cliristianity  takes  aiiythin^-  from  them,  she  puts  some- 
thing better  in  its  place;  while  science,  p!iilos()|)hy  and  common 
worldly  intelligence  leaves  ihem  bereft  of  everything  they  held  most 
dear  to  themselves,  wherefore  it  is,  tliat  none,  or  all  (jf  these,  (-an 
never  save  the  heathens;  nor  can  they  save  their  votaries  here  at 
home. 

What  heathens  need  is  ('hrislianity ;  and  it  is  the  most  needed 
thing  for  all  people.  AtluMsm.  and  no  form  of  intidelity,  can  ever 
do  them  any  good.  The  heathen  sees  no  comfort  in  any  of  them  for 
him.<elf;  whereas,  he  finds  some  in  a  sujjerstitious  way  in  what  he 
has,  and  in  what  he  does  in  his  way  of  worshipping,  wherefore  he  will 
not  i,'ive  up  what  he  has  for  atheism  nor  any  form  of  intidelity.  But 
C'hristianily  brings  him  an  ultimateanswer  to  everything  he  has  been 
reaching  after;  and  an  all  convincing  supernatural  power  to  sustain 
him  in  all  his  fears  and  hopes,  as  it  sustains  its  own  truthfulness  in 
all  things. 

These  evideiu-es  convince  him  that  she  is  the  very  thing  \\\<  nature 
needs — the  very  thing  he  had  been  seeking  for;  therefore,  as  soon  as 
he  understands  her  with  joy  heembr'aces  her.  And  knowing,  too,  how 
his  fellow   heathens  are   strugirling  in   the    otherwise   im'j'Ienet'raltle 


i       i 


THE  STOPtY  OF  CREATION. 


22;]. 


i 


(  . 


S.     K 


darkness  that  envelopes  them,  and  how  they  are  seeking  for  light  on 
the  most  important  of  all  questions,  he  hastens  to  relieve  them;  and 
shall  we  not  bid  him  Codspeed? 

In  the  early  ages  of  Christianity,  as  soon  as  the  Jews  .saw  that  the 
pattern  of  the  Messiah  of  the  Old  Testament  was  fultilled  in  Jesus 
Christ,  they  became  His.  So  do  they  today;  so  did  the  Centiles 
then,  as  do  the  heathens  now.  Yet  in  Christian  lands  a  strange 
spectacle  appears.;  many  who  claim  to  believe  both  testaments,  still 
live  in  sin;   holding  the  truth  in  utirighteousness.     (Kom.  1  :18). 


(MIAFTER    XVII. 


Otk  Lord  says,' ''Lay  not  up  for  yourselves  treasures  upon  earth." 
(Matt.  6:19).  If  we  essay  to  do  so,  luiture  herself  shall  rebuke  our 
temerity:  for  there  is  rot  and  decay  in  everything  inaninuite  we  pos- 
sess 0!\  earth,  or  can  acquire.  And  a  worm  of  destructiini,  even  in 
our  bodies,  and  disease  in  everything  aninuite,  which  soon  or  late  will 
bring  death  and  decomposition. 

We  have  the  wet  rot  and  the  dry  rot,  to  spoil  and  decompose  our 
vegetables  and  fruits.  In  our  granaries  the  moth  will  come  and  lay 
her  larvae,  which  plays  havoc  with  the  wheat,  the  barley,  the  rye  and 
the  oats,  threshed  or  unthreshed  ;  and  the  Indian  corn,  shucked  or 
unshucked;  and  the  peas  likewise.  And  another  will  deposit  hers  on 
the  beans,  and  on  tlie  dried  fruits;  ruin  all  if  precaut ioiis  are  not 
taken  in  time  to  check  tlieir  ravages.  And  another  kind  will  drop 
hers  on  the  meat  that^is  put  away  for  summer  use.  And  yet  another 
for  the  orchard,  to  spoil  the  growing  crop  of  fruit,  to  disease  it,  to  rot 
it,  and  often  kills  the  tree  itself,.  All  earthly  possessions  are  uncer- 
tain. Nature,  herself,  forbids  us  to  trust  in  them.  It  is  lietter  far 
to  trust  in  the  living  (Jod,  who  gives  us,  according  to  that  order  of. 
seasons  which  inheres  in  the  constitution  of  our  climate,  '•ri<dily  all 
things  to  enjoy."  (I  Tim.  ():17).  Or  having  done  each  his  part,  look 
to  f>ur  Father  in  Heaven,  day  by  day,  for  our  bread — <»r  living;  for 
both  body  and  soul. 

Moreover,  He  says,  ''wliere  moth  and  rust  doth  corrupt."  .Vot  only 
do  moths  produce  the  cause  of  destruction  in  our  garments  and  raw 
material,  but  in  our  grain,  rice  and  fruits;  our  observations  in  na- 
ture confirm  the  teaching  of  the  text.  It  is  a  flying  moth  t'hat  does, 
in  every  case,  the  mischief,  by  depositing  her  young  on  those  tilings. 

One  writer  says,  "the  weevil  bores  a  hole  in  a  grain  of  wheat  and 
deposits  an  egg,  which  makes  another  weevil,  that  eats  the  heart  out 
of  that  graino'f  wheat."  I  do  not  think  that  is  correct;  I  think  the 
weevil  gets  to  be  a  Hying  moth  before  depositing  any  larva?;  before 
that  time  it  onlv  eats;  it  is  perfected  hy  becoming  a  flying  moth;  it 
teaches  us  a  lesson.  Revelation  shows  us  that  the  perfection  of  the 
human  being  is  a  winged  stage;  like  unto  the  angels.  (Luke  2(l:8(>). 
H  is  singuhu- that  the  C-reator  chooses  the  smallest  things  to  illus- 
trate to  us  the  greatest  lessons.  It  should  humble  our  pride.  Per- 
haps it  was  designed  for  that  very  purpose. 

T  have  seen  many  of  the  grain  weevils  in  their  first  moving  stage. 
It    is   then    like  a  very  small,    yellowish  worm,  with  a   black  head — 


THE  STORY  OF  CKKATTOX. 


224. 

,  ■       v,.vi  it  -xxmctw  like  a  tiny  I.eotle— brown 

works  outsi.le  of  the  jmu...  ^^'■^\,  V'  '.''V  ,-,,  the  sluu-p-billed  weevil 
,olor-still  works  outs.de  ♦''%,^  •;"•'"•,,„ self  in  a  sin-le  -rain, 
which  bores  into  the  «'■«'"  •-'f"'"^";^  „,«  win-s  are  <levelope.l : 
ospeeially  of  In.lian  eorn  .'",""'■,  ^*"-ri.".o  seen  Ihe.n  tlyia<;  with 
.rLwin,.^  out  from  .nuler  t'H^''-  «  '«  '  >;^  ha,  •     lown  below  the  bo.ly  of 

^hort  win;,'s.  When  "'"'^^i; •.'"""  f^j^,  '7 ,  ,  ,)o  b..t  produce  its  Uvr- 
t  he  insect        t   s  now  perfect .   has  not  nMi„  i   ^,, „.„,.' 

.;  a  a  provide  for  its  ''"V-^r-'^-^'rurCak  'of  the  waste  n^ade 
Tho  Itible,  as  far  back  as  the  '''\;  . /  '^^X,,  •>  (.,ob  4:li)).  This 
by  M.olhs.  "Which  are  crushe,  ;■'''';;;.';.,,,,,  ,,ol,i  upon  his 
alh.des  to  man's  weakness;  =y;'  '  ^-  ''^'.''f,;" '/o't,,.  „iav  .lestroy  his 
earthly  possessi,>ns.  As  '«'''"''  'V'''  If.', ^iV.a  before  the  moth.-  In 
wealth,  an,l  brin-  him  to  l«'VO"-t>-  V,  4 hers  A  few  years  a-o  a 
some  climates  they  are  worse  V'""'\;'!lho„se(l  before  thresh- 
friend  of  mine  had  about  lu.  "'^  .'<;;;,  ;.  .f"  .V  .oth  before  he 
in"— which  was  almost  ruined  b.\  the  pHven\  01  1  myself, 

km-wit.  When  he  threshed  it.  ';;;;;;:.;; '^^^ .,;:'" r,.,  old  corn  i,; 
was  a  sufferer  the  same  seas..,,  f''  "  ,  '^;  .  "  ^f^Ve  „  the,-e  in  boxes 
my  bar,,,  put  my  threshed  wheat  '  '^' ^  7'*''V?r.'e  crop  of  the  oats, 
and  barrels:  an.l  .ny  l"''''/'''^;''!  '\'^t,f  wLeshed^'^^^^^^^^  ,vs  soon  as 
Tt  rained  a  great  deal.  1  couldn  t  ^  "  •';,'^ '^'''  ;;  the,  manv  ftyinff 
,  imended.   1  noticed  fro,,,  day  to  da    '    J^';-^;"^  ,;  ^^   ^  „„  t,,e  wash- 

;^j:^'^.;hi:h".^;e'nea;C  •;:».  r,y  oI'VliemTopp;;.  into  the  water 

and  died;  ••->-,;;;;'?"-^^;:.i':[,';"'";;;  ^^-itl,  Mack  hca.ls.  ..-awlin.  on 

Sr  E5  =  S"  irisi  '::z^::i  "^^^ 

am  heWes  before  these  little  c-eatures.  "Crushed  be  ore  the  moth 

I  suifned  the  threshed  grain-put  up  hot-when  it  lost     hat^  heat 
T,iit  t"  hr<  u..h  the  same  process  again  ;  .lestroyed  ,nany  of  them  by 
?hlt  meat  s    Perhaps  the  larva;  are  lodged  in  the  crevices  o   the^gra.n 
I'^d  a"  killed  by  tLt  heat ;  but  the  ^""V" -evils  are  har^t«,K 
As  advised  by  some,  I  put  sassafras  bushes  „,.  all  throi^g    tl,      o 
and  oats      Wh'ethcr  that  does  any  good  or  not.      canno    tell.     1  used 
t^   ,iTr  busi  es  also;   1  do  not  think  they  are  any  better  than  sassafras. 
■      The  best  way  i^  to  grind  and  use  the  bread  as  fast  as  you  need     o ; 
and  fe^'l  away  the  rest  as  fast  as  it  is  needed;  then  starve  out  what 
are  left-  and  the  rats  will  all  (luit  you  then,  loo. 

I,  -  ri  -8,  we  read  ot  the  destruction  made  in  goods  and  raw  ma- 
terial bv  ,«oths  and  worm..  I  suppose  the  worn,  alluded  to  is  the 
the  offspring  ot  the  moth.     Xo  ,lo„bt  but  they  infested  their  gra,n 


) 

I 

1 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


2*^."). 


i 


1  I  c 


l> 


and  fruits  tlion  as  lliey  do  ours  now,  as  well  as  other  sjoods.  The 
reference,  douhtless,  is  to  all  the  mischief  they  do.  Especially  is  it 
true  in  ret^ard  to  Matt.  0:19.  '* 

Of  course  the  rust  will  corrode,  and  the  canker  will  consume  specie 
and  ornaments,  and  everythin<<  else  made  of  metallic  substances.  As 
in  James  r):2"5;  hut  in  J.uke  I2:l()-2l,  the  treasures  were  the  product 
of  the  field  of  the  earth  by  culture.  Here  the  owner  is  separated 
from  them  suddenly.  Yet  if  he  had  lived  he  would  have  been  disap- 
pointed in  them,  would  have  seen  the  foolishness  of  trustin«j:  in  them. 

There  was  a  certain  rich  man  who  had  about  loO  bushels  of  cleaiu'd 
wheat  in  his  barn;  his  nei*?hl)ors  offered  him  ^\S){)  per  bushel  for  it 
for  bread,  but  he  refused  to  sell  a  bushel,  say  in-,'  my  crop  may  fail 
this  year  and  I  mii^'ht  need  it  myself  next    year.     It   was  laid  up  for 

himself. 

Before  the  next  was  ready  for  the  table  the  old  wms  well  nij^di 
ruined  by  the  weevil,  "(■rushed  before  the  moth."  It  made^  me 
think  of' the  proverb.  He  that  withholdeth  corn,  the  ])eople  shall 
curse  him  ;  but  hlessin^^ shall  be  upon  the  head  of  him  that  selleth  it." 
(Proverbs  11  :2().)  And  how  nuich  rather  upon  hiiu  who  o-iveth  it  away 
to  those  that  caimot  pay  for  it.  And  thus  are  treasures  laid  up  in 
Heaven.  Beyond  the  reach  of  all  these,  "^^'here  m^ither  moth  nor 
rust  doth  corrupt." 

The  worm  that  causes  destruction  is  in  our  hoirs,  cows,  sheep, 
j^oats,  mules,  horses  and  fowls,  and  in  our  own  bodies  too,  causin,*^ 
"disease  and  death  sooji  or  late,  perhaps  the  worm  that  siiall  f.eed  upon 
them  in  the  j^rave  is  nowworkin<^  in  them. 

It  is  hard  to  find  a  sinjrle  thinj,'  that  is  reajly  sound— without  any 
(]efects— in  this  world.  '  It  is  the  curse  and  its  work,  that  followed 
sin,  and  still  follows  sin,  Oen.  :J  :17-19,  Romans  :):12,  Everythin^: 
was  perfect  after  its  kind  at  first  and  i)erfect  for  its  use.  before  "sin 
entered  inio  the  world."  But  after  that  sad  event  everything  on, 
earth  partook  of  man's  imperfection  out  of  sympathy  for  him.  He 
was  creation's  centre.  When  he  fell  the  shock  was  felt  all  around 
t h e  c i  re u  m f e re n ce . 

But  perfection  is  somewhere.  Slie  fled  the  earth  when  man  sinned. 
Xevertheless  she  shall  vet  be  found.  For  we  read  uf  a  place  where 
are  "the  spirits  of  just'men  made  perfect ."  (Heb.  12  :255).  1  here  is 
that  perfection  for"  which  redeemed  nature  si-hs.  It  is  m  Heaven, 
and  there  alone.  Let  us  prepare  for  it,  and  for  the  perfection  of  our 
bein^.     (Matthew  O:?^). 

I  have  sometimes  watched  a  worm  which  was  tau-ht  of  Providence 
through  instinct  that  the  the  time  had  come  for  him  to  prepare  for 
his  clum-e.  He  will  attach  himself  to  a  twi.ir  on  some  kind  of  plant, 
aml-lue1iimselft»thattwi<rso  securely  that  the  wind  can  hardly 
shake  him  oif  He  will  weave  him  a  web  or  cocoon  to  protect  him- 
self a-ainst  the  chan-es  of  the  weather  and  all  other  disadvant^a^n's. 
Theiv  he  will  swin-  until  the  time  comes  for  his  n^xt  <-nanjrc  hen 
he  will  come  out  in  a  new  dress.  And  ycni  would  scarcely  hmk  that , 
that  beautiful  butterfly  you  see  mttin,^  from  flower  to  Mower  was 
ever  an  u-ly  worm  crawlin.ir  on  the  irround.  while  you    were  alra.d  to 


22(). 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


T2t 


touch  liini  for  fear  lio  would  stinj,'  you,  but  now  you  would  like  to 
liandk*  that  pretty  butterfly.     You  are  not  at  all  afraid  of  him. 

So  we  are  now  a?*  worms  crawling  on  the  earth.  Here  we  have  to 
toil  throuu'h  the  summer's  heat  for  our  winter  su[)plies,  often  uneasy 
for  fear  we  will  not  have  enoujjh,  alTlicted,  too,  with  more  tlian  one 
mortal  disease  that  is  hurrying  us  to  the  grave.  But  after  a  while 
we  will  come  out  in  a  new  dress.  We  will  break  this  chrysalis  and 
tly  away  to  Heaven.  If  prepared  to  enter  there,  we  shall  not  know 
winter  from  summer.  And  those  who  may  meet  us  there  would 
liardly  think  we  had  been  such  poor  creatures  Imm'c.  And  this  mighty 
<-hange  shall  be  wrought  in  us  for  Christ ^s  sake.  We  shall  be  exalted 
to  that  high  and  l)lessed  state  not  for  any  good  in  us.  nor  for  any 
good  we  have  done,  but  for  for  His  sake  who  loved  us  and  washed  us 
in  His  own  precious  blood,  who  redeemed  us  to  glory  and  to  (iod. 
We  shall  be  seated  only  upon  His  merits. 

And  shall  we  know  each  other  there?  How  could  we  fail  to  know 
one  another  there?  We  will  be  obliged  to  know  there  those  we  know 
liere.  Though  they  will  not  b(*  known  as  husband  and  wife  any  more 
after  soul  and  body  are  separated  here,  (Luke  20:»H-Jjr)).  nor  as  par- 
ents and  chihlren,  in  an  earthly  sense.  But  will  have  all  the  spirit- 
ual affinities  which  belong  to  and  grow  out  of  those  relations  on  earth. 

All  those  historic  cliaracters  we  have  read  of  in  the    Scriptures    we 

will  intuitively  recognize,  an<l  above  all,  with  full  knowledge,    will  at 

once  know  the  Son  of  (Iod.  our  Savioiu*,    the  centre  of    attraction  to 

all  the  redeemed, 
< 

And  the  famous  ones,  of  both  sexes,  in  all  history  we  have  read  of, 
will  be  intuitively  reci)gnized  by  us.  We  will  noed  no  introduction. 
A  few  in  every  generation  have  been  so  distinguished  as  to  live  in 
history,  while  the  great  bulk  of  them  have  gone  "the  way  of  all  the 
earth"  without  so  mu(»h  as  leaving  their  names  for  the  historian. 
But  many  who  have  moved  in  the  world  of  fame,  as  arti.sts,  profes- 
sors in  medicine,  law,  science,  philosophy,  statesmanship  and  mighty 
warriors  whose  careers  we  have  followed  with  sympathy — and  other 
great  ones  of  both  sexes,  may  appear  among  the  lost. 

And  many  an  one  that  inoved  as  a  beau  ideal,  or  a  very  queen  in 
society,  with  trains  of  admiring  followers,  may  be  seen  in  the  host  of 
lost  -jouls;  while  many  will  recognize  them  with  wonder,  and  think, 
what  a  pity  an  intellect  so  brilliant,  a  genius  .so  happy  should  thus 
H utter  I 

But  alas!  The  most  brilliant  intellect  may  err:  and  genius  most 
happy  may  be  put  to  sinful  purposes!  And  they  shall  suffer  for  it, 
both  here,  and  hereafter. 

The  question  is  asked,  "Who  knoweth  the  spirit  of  man  that  goeth 
upward,  and  the  spirit  of  the  beast  that  goeth  downward  to  the 
earth?"  (Eccl.  5i:21).  That  is  of  mankind,  and  of  beasts  in  general. 
I  suppose  the  meaning  is,  although  there  is  that  in  beast  wMiich  an- 
swers to  spirit  in  man,  yet  it  is  not  an  individuality  that  can  exist 
without  the  body,  but  perishes  with  the  body.  While  the  spirit  of 
man  can,  and  does  exist  separated  from  the  body;  ascends  to  God; 
is  rewarded  (»r  punished   without    the   body;   is   Immortal.     But    the 


( 


'i\(' 


resurrection  will  enhance  the  felicity  of  the  saved,  and  intensify  the 
mi.series  of  the  damned. 

I  suppose  the  wherefore  of  the  Heathens'  worship  of  animals  was 
because  thev  thought  the  spirits  of  their  departed  great  ones  went 
into  animals,  and'  as  thev  had  done  mighty  deeds  for  them  before 
thev  died,  they  might  do  more  now.  Therefore,  they  deified  the 
beaks  for  that.  It  shows,  too.  that  belief  in  the  immortality  of 
human  spirits,  is  natural,  and  universal  in  mankind. 

The  devil  blinded  them  to  lead  them  into  any  and  every  form  of 
idolatry  as  he  does  some  fanatics  now.  in  (^.hristian  lands  at  that,  to 
offer  pravers  to  real  or  supposed  saints  in  Heaven,  supposing  that  they 
can  answer  praver;  not  having  knowledge  enough  to  see  that  is  ulol- 
atrv  and  to  see  that  all  creature  worship  is  nothing  but  idolatr>. 

Another  text,  in  stating  the  death  of  a  man  says,  "In  that  very  day 
his  thoughts  perish."  In  the  margin  of  the  R.  Y.,  P/'^-po-;''*;,/;;;; 
thoughts  (Fs.  U5:4).  His  worldly  ambitions,  P^J^'^'^^  ;^"^.^P^?^"^^ 
die  with  him,  I  suppose,  is  the  meaning.  As  I  once  heard  a  V^^^^\'^J 
say  in  a  sermon,  "many  a  book  has  failed  to  be  written  bcvaus  he 
author  died  too  soon."  Those  thoughts,  »^^»;vever  good,  ^^^^^^^^^ 
the  world  unless  Providence  leads  some  one  else  to  think,  and  pnsLrNC 

*"^Vh[r;ror;!:^,;'s  .nenta.,  .oral  an.i  S,V.HU.a,  ;-mes  shaU  lU. 
for  thev  are  essential  to  the  „a...re  of  u.s  soul,  "'V!^.^  "  .,"  f-.''"";;^^!^ 
immnrtnl  •  are  God  given  ;  and  (iod  returning.     (Keel,  12  .00-     m'" 
™":w^Va^"tu?e^"x■ste;ce,  should  we  not  lay^ 

;::^ :isitiv:rss:^:'Uard^o  t^s  ..rw.  «oods «..  t^i----  ^  - 

ened  they  are,  the  n.ore  '"'t»f '''",;!      'rm\vhH    u^^;^  .■orrupti-m 

„p  treasures  in  H"'^''^'',     •^;:;  ; '',     ;  V  Zi      v    hen,,  the  n.ore  will  . 
in  all  earthly  goods  IS  the  hettei  ""'\'J.'""'^^^   a.  ,,„,.p.  „„a  ,he 

they   let  ,o  't-;-^  -;.;  It  ;"r^^         erHe^s.lyo.h,  ■'Uh..r..  your 
more  careful  will  the\  be  ^^V^^f  '  /  ,      ,,    rn.     ,^,,^,.».  iieavenlv  treas- 

r:ehi::e!rre^mour^^^tt':;^..^^^ 

Heaven,  t'^""!-''^ -'^'>'t'K::;f^h■d"  kept  well  for  seven  years;  but 
Joseph  laid  up  j,'ra,n  n  ^'«  P  "■'\,'^,;';  ^,,„,  „f  ,he  weevil  is  laid 
it  will  not  so  keep  in  this  .''";•'•,.'„'  i„"fon„s,  and  if  thoufrh  sun- 
on  it  in  the  field,  encased  m  ',";  ";.;  ^r  he  moths  may  attack  it 
„in.  kills  them,  yet  .n  t^i me  of  w      weaU- ^  ^^^^.^^  ^..„  „,„„. 

again,  so  I  think;  and  unios 

ate  in  it.  ,  ,     .i.-w  c-limale  Indian  corn  in  good 

It  is  a  fact  tlmt  a  man  can  keep   "  thr  n  ^  j^an 

condition  a  year    rom  '^  "f  ";^^,;,,^^,'„,,.,L  us  here.  that,  as 

that,  the  moth  wil  •"'.fl  '».,  ^•,5,'',  ^of  Go,l.  whi,-h   He  gives  us  not 
does  the  Bible,  to  trust  in    he   nn  ,  „,„,   ,,^  „  result  of  our 

less  frequently  than  a  J^'^,",.;V      prepare  our  daily  broad, 
own  efforts,   /l'"* '^^  .^^'^X^^^        n  Ibis  country,  two   years  at   the 
I  once  tried   to   proviae   „iau 


228. 


THE  STOKY  OF  CREATION, 


tin.e-  but  oxnerionco   taii-ht    me   that    it   would  not   do      1^^^^^'  ^^l^i^;- 
ro^uc:s  did  not  steal  any,  -as  I  know  of'  the  rats  ^•-j;^!^--;;;^^^^^^ 
the  weevils  the  rest,  after  it  was  a  year  old  ;  so  it  was  not  fit  foi  bread    . 
and  pc^r  feed  for  a.iythin,^  else.     I  think  it  is  best  to  go  according  to 
Providence,  and  our  clinuite.  .  t    ^i 

The      anna  .fathered  in  diso])edience  or  laid  up  aj^ains    orders   bred 
wm-ni^      (Kx     10:2(0     Whether  a  moth  laid  the  eggs  that  produced 
the  worms  in  the  manna  unlawfully  kept,   or  a  curse  directly  on    it 
from  (iod.  we  are  not   informed;   but  there   is  a  curse   in   everything 
ml"  wful  V  got  :  or  unlawfully  kept.     The  gains  of  Sabbath  breaking 
brin'manv  curses  upon  all  connected  with    it.     No  doubt  our  whole 
coumrv  has  sutTered  much  by  the  Sabbath  breaking  of  only  a  pai-t  of 
ther)C()r)lo       If>i'i   is  not  contagious,   the  curse  will  spread,     (^um. 
IC,  -ir-r,'!,  1  Chron.  21  :7-U).      In  this  last  case  it  was  the  governinent 
that  sinned  ;  and  all  the  people  had  to  pay  for  it.  So  afterwards  they 
iill  sutTered  on  account  of  Solomon's  wickedness;  and  yet  other  exam- 
ple^; might  be  cpioted.  .,      ,  .   1  4^ 
When  a  bov  I  wondered  how  the  worms  got  into  the  hickory   nuts, 
chincapins  and  chestnuts,  as  I  could  not  see  where  they  went  in  at. 
Mv  conclusion  was  that  the  parent  of  them  must  have  laid  the   eggs 
on'  the  l)loom  or  tender  fruit  and  they  were  inclosed  as  the  nut  grew. 
I  wondered,  too,  how   thev  could  get  into  the  apples,  peaches  and  all 
our  fruits  as  no  plji<-e  could  be  seen  where  they  went  in  at.   I  thought 
the  i^<^<:-^  must  have  been  laid  either    in  the   bloom   or    on  the    young 
fruit  Tmd    were.enclosed  as  the  fruit    grew.     And  I  also  studied  as  to 
how  worms  got   into  the  roasting  ears,  and    my  conclusion    was  the 
same  in  regard  to  them.   I  api)lied  the  same  reasoning  to  theirpresence 
in  field  pea'?-*  and  in  grain.   1  concluded  they  must  have  been  laid  m  the 
bloom  or  on  the  verv  young  grain  and  embrac(Ml  in  it  as  it  fornunl. 

-I  believe  my  firs\  thoughts  as  to  how  they  get  into  these  areas 
correct  as  any'  I  have  ever  seen  on  tlu'  subject.  I  knov/  field  peas 
gathered  in  the  month  of  October,  in  this  .-ountry,  cleaned  at  once, 
often  have  weevils  in  theni,  when  no  outward  signs  appear  of  their 
(Milrance  into  the  hull  or  pea.  In  the  state  of  Florida  I  have  seen 
Indian  corn  irathered  in  the  month  of  .August  and  at  every  hill  would 
be  Si^en  a  number  »)f  flying   v.eevils,  already   in  tlie  corn,  at    work    in 

some  way. 

These  facts  show  that-  in  many  cases  tliey  are  generated  in  the 
field.  Vet  under  some  circumstances  I  think  t!iey  are  generated 
after  the  trrain  is  lioused.  They  are  more  numerous  in  peas  at  plant- 
inir  time— Mav  or  June — than  before.    So  are  they  v>'orse  in  old  grain 

than  new. 

If  a  man  has  corn  in  a  barrel  or  box,  covered,  he  can  lift  the  cover 
so  as  to  dash  water  on  the  weevils,  then  he  can  kill  all  in  there,  for 
they  can't  fly  when  wet,  nor  crawl  much  either.  Water  alone  will 
not  kill  'em,  but  wet  salt  will. 

It  would  be  well  when  corn  is  housed  to  dampen  every  load  with 
salty  water.  That  might,  perhaps,  destroy  the  germs,  or  keep  otf 
the 'moth,  if  not  it  will  improve  the  shuck  as  feed. 

Now  let  us  repeat  the  text,  and  remember'it,  too,  'T^ay  not  up  for 
yourselves  treasures  upon  earth,  where  moth  and  rust  doth,  corrupt, 


i 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


229. 


1 


i 


y 


1 


m' 


't 


and  where  thieves  break  througli  and  steal :  but  lay  up  for  yourselves 
treasures  in  heaven,  where  neither  moth  nor  rust  doth  corrupt  and 
where  thieves  do  not  break  through  nor  steal :  for  where  vour  treas- 
ure IS,  there  will  your  heart  be  also."  Nor  can  language'  express  it 
better.  The  anatomist  might  say,  I  have  dissected  many  a  corp.se  and 
have  never  seen  a  .soul  in  any  of  them  yet.  But  that  slieli,  now  cast  off 
sho>ys  that  the  soul,  the  living  man,  was  in  this  world.  The  Bible 
teaches  that  the  wicked  is  removed  and  his  place  cannot  be  found. 
Nor  IS  the  righteous  more  fortunate  as  to  that. 

No  dissecter  can  find  the  place  where  the  soul   dwelt  in  the  body. 
But  it  was  in  all  and  in  every  part  of  the  body.     W^as  its  sensibility 
Its  life  and  power. 

I  have  seen  many  a  locust  shell  sticking  to  the  bark  of  a  tree  but 
never  .saw  a  locust  in  one  of  them  yet.  But  that  shell  is  proof  that 
the  locust  was  there.  He  was  in  all,  and  in  every  part  of  it.  The 
liead,  body,  limbs,  feet  and  its  claws  were  occupied  by  the  different 
members  of  the  living  locust  that  has  flown  away  and  left  it.  So  the 
body  of  a  man  is  evidence  that  we  had  the  man  among  us  but  he  has 
now  gone  elsewhere.  The  corpse  shows  that  the  living  man  was 
here,  but  now  he  is  elsewhere  gone,  as  have  the  garments  he  once  wore 
and  now  laid  aside  because  too  badly  worn,  or  perchance,  out  of 
style,  though  not  more  than  in  the  middle  of  their  usefulness,  and 
only  for  that  cast  off.  So  now  he  leaves  off  his  body  because  it  i.s 
badly  worn,  or  out  of  style  for  him  any  longer,  or  never  was  in  style 
where  he  is  now  going. 

Some  things  will  do  to  wear  at  home  that  will  not  do  to  wear 
abroad,  some  will  do  to  wear  in  the  country  that  will  not  do  to  wear 
in  a  city,  .so  now  he  leaves  behind  all  that  will  not  be  useful  to  him 
where  he  is  going,  and  takes  only  that  which  will  be  current  there. 

I  have  seen  the  hole  in  the  ground  from  which  the  locust  came  out; 
many  of  them  under  the  same  tree.  So  the  inspired  prophet,  speak- 
ing in  the  name  of  the  Father  of  us^  all^admpnishes  us  to  '4ook  unto 
the  hole  of  the  pit  whence  ye  are  digged."  (Isaiah  51:1)  And  in 
another  we  are  admonished  to  look  unto  that  pit  to  which  we  as  to 
our  bodies  shall  ret<irn.  risaiah  88:17-18.)  And  also  to  that  deeper 
pit  whither  the  .soul  unprepared  for  heaven  .shall  go.  It  is  well  for 
all  the  living  to  consider  these  three  things  and  that  betimes. 

You  may  take  a  living  chrysalis  and  you  cannot  so  separate  it  from 
its  outer  part  .so  as  to  say  this  is  it,  and  that  is  only  its  outer  cloth- 
ing, for  the  living  creature  is  in  every  part  of  it.  I  have  noticed 
many  of  them  of  different  insects.  Sometimes  have  plowed  or  dug' 
them  up  out  of  the  ground ;  .sometimes  have  .seen  tHem  swinging  to 
limbs  of  bushes,  often  on  branches  of  the  cotton  stalk,  and  all  of 
them  at  first  seem  to  be  feelingless;  but  touch  one  and  you  will  see 
it  is  alive  through  and  through.  And  as  one  who  has  not  seen  the 
whole  process  the  creature  goes  through  before  it  comes  to  its  perfec- 
tion, could  not  form  any  idea  from  this  stage  of  its  life  what  will  be  its 
next  form  of  existence;  .so  no  one  can  tell  from  the.se  bodies  of  ours 
w^hat  our  future  state  of  being  shall  be.  As  the  Scripture  says,  "It  doth 
not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be."  (lJohn8:2).  As  with  the  chrysalis 
while  he  is  alive  you  cannot  in  that  stage  of  his  l)eing  separate  the  living 


280. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


.10 1 


c.n.aturo  from  that  he  leav.s  behind  ^^b^n^l^e  .s  gone     so  it  Isv^  .th  the 
living  hodv  i>f  a  huirmn  hein.i?  and  its  soul  while  in  this  ^orld. 

\ird  as  every  part  of  the  chrysalis  is  impregnated  with  I'f^^  '.^"tiV 
tha^  elitn^. VonL  which  .en<);  the  surviving,  part  mit  into  a  diffcM^ 
Int  .tate  of  existence  and  leaves  its  now  useless  part  ^^^^^"^^  i/^/J;^^ 
with  man  in  his  present  life.  It  takes  both  the  soul  and  its  bodv 
now  to  make  the  one  person— a  human  bein.i^. 

\^  the  surviving  part  of  the  chrysalis  was  m  every  part  of  the  out^ 
ward  form  while  he  ^.ccupied  it.  so  is  the  soul  of  a  human  beinc, 
while  in  its  bodv  on  earth.  It  is  the  life-the  motion  and  PO^^eT^  o 
the  bodv.  And'  when  the  t  ime  comes  the  soul-t iiat  only  which  shal 
l)c  useful  somewhere  in  a  hi^.dier  sphere-shall  survive,  be  separated 
for  that  purpose,  and  the.  place  it  occupied  in  the  body  cannot  be 
found,  for  it  equallv  tilled  and  used  it  all,  possessed  it  all;  for  its 
i.wn  interest  cared  for  it  all:  drew  comfort  to  itself  from  every  part 
of  it ;  and  if  true  to  its  mission  in  this  world,  used  every  part  of  it  in 
the  service  of  Him  who  -ave  it  :  and  in  whose  august  presence  shall 
answer  for  its  jjood  or  evil  uses  while  in  this  world. 

From  the  silent  examples  of  these  speechless  creatures  we  may  not 
only  learn  wisdom  in  our  secular  affairs,  but  may  also  learn  from  that 
proVidence  which  is  in  them  before  our  eyes— at  least  to  all  those 
who  will  take  the  pains  to  see— some  idea  of  the  process  of  that 
i-ham'e  each  of  us  is  to  go  throuirh  to  reach  the  perfection  of  our  being. 

Atleast  we  have  many  beautiful  illustrations  of  the  process  of  our 
own  change  in  nature  all  around  us.  It  seems  that  even  the  wicked 
could  but"be  thankful  for  it,  and  take  heed  to  the  abundant  instruc- 
tion His  providence  gives  us  in  them,  to  say  nothing  of  the  far  more 
and  better  instruction  He  gives  us  in  His  written  Word. 
Then  let  them  publish  it  all  abroad, 
That  our  Creator  is  the  f^ord. 


CHAPTER    XVIII 


\Vk  are  tauiiht  in  2  Tim.  1  :10  that  Christ  "abolished  death  and 
brought  life  and  immortality  to  light.-'  The  idea  is  that  life  and 
immortalily  existed  before,  but  through  the  gospel  are  now  unveiled. 

Now,  if  wt^  should  suppose  that  the  world  had  to  wait  for  the  Gospel 
until  angels  sang  it  over  "the  hill  country  of  .ludah,"  we  would  ''err 
1 J  ot  k  n  o w i  n  g  t  h  e  Sc  r i  pt u res . "  ( M att .  22  :  29) .  F( .  r  it  i s  w ri t te n  u  n  to 
them — the  Israelites  in  Egypt  and  in  the  wilderness — ''was  the  Gos- 
pel preached,  as  well  as  unto  us."'  (Heb.  4:2).  Again.  ''The  Scrip- 
ture, foreseeing  that  God  would  justify  the  heathen  through  faith, 
preached  before  the  gospel  unto  Abraham."  (Gal.  3:8).  Saying, 
"In  thy  seed" — which  is  Christ — "shall  all  the  nations  of  the  earth 
be  blessed."     CGen.  22  :18). 

When  then  did  the  gospel  beirin?  When  man  fell.  Which  was  the 
first  lime  it  was  needed,  but  not  before.  It  could  not  begin  before 
sin  V>egan.  As  soon  as  sin  enterfd  into  the  world  there  was  ademand 
for  the  gosp«d,  and  it  then  entered  on  the  track  of  sin,  to  de.stroy  it 
and  its  cfTects.  When  Eve  and  .\dam  sinned  life  and  immortality,  as 
applying  to  iimnkind.  were  forfiTiled.  As  sinners  they  could  see  nothing, 


i 


r. 


as  yet,  but  the  penalties  of  sin,  which  were  to  result  in  death,  and 
must  have  meant  the  destruction  of  being.  At  least,  di.«^.<oIution  of 
soul  and  body,  and  eternal  banishment  of  the  soul  from  heaven  and 
God — with  the  devil  and  his  angels  to  dwell  without  hope  of  deliver- 
ance— while  the  body  should  lie  in  ruins  forever  and  ever.  Or  as 
with  those  who  now  sin  willfully  "u  certain  fearful  looking  for  of 
judgment  ajid  fiery  indignation,  which  shall  devour  the  adversaries." 
(Heb.  10:27).  F'or  "it  is  appointed  unto  men  once  to  die,  but  after 
this  the  judgment."  (Heb.  <):27).  But.  when  Christ  undertook  for 
human  kind  He  removed  the  dark  shadow  of  death,  which  was  .set- 
tling like  a  pall  over  every  hope  of  man.  And  by  virtue  of  what  He 
was  to  do  for  the  race.  Adam  was  permitted  to  live  in  thii*  world  until 
his  OrJOth  year  expired;  and  "his  helpmeet"  quite  as  long,  no  doubt. 
Thus,  through  C-hrist  and  His  gospel,  embodied  in  that  glorious 
revelation,  the  seed  of  the  woman  shall  bruise  the  serpent's  head, 
(Gen.  8:1;")),  natural  life  was  restored  from  under  that  dreadful  sen- 
tence, by  the  respite  allowed  them,  and  immortality,  through  the, 
promise  of  God,  was  revetiled  as  the  lieritaL'-e  of  their  redeemed 
natures.  And  death,  too,  w%ns  in  the  hands  of  the  great  undertaker, 
and  was  to  be  buried  in  a  hell,  deeper  than  the  grave.     (Rev.  20:14). 

It  was  virtually  abolished  in  the  Son  of  God  before  Adam  left  the 
garden  of  Eden.  .\nd  although  henceforth  denied  that  first  tree  of 
life,  he  has  a  second  in  the  gospel  of  Christ.  (Rev.  22:2).  And  while 
the  flaming  sword  of  justice  debarred  him  from  the  first,  mercy 
cheered  him  on  with  an  ever  brightening  hope  to  the  second.  For  by 
the  present  natural  life  in  mercy  granted  them,  and  the  then  present 
salvation  through  grace  given  them,  there  was  revealed  to  them  a 
glorious  immortality  for  their  souls  an<l  bodies  through  the  gospel  of 
('hrist,  which  was,  and  is,  for  all  the  ages  of  mankind.  For  as  sin  and 
death  came  throiiLrh  the  first  Adam,  so  life  and  immortalitv — death 
dethroned  and  abolished — camt'  through  the  second  Adam,  which  is 
Jesus  Christ.  (I  ("or.  10:4')).  And  its  effects  began  like  the  first  at 
the  head  of  the  race.  As  Adam  and  Kve  were  the  first  lost,  so  were 
they  the  first  saved. 

A  certain  writer  represents  a  heathen  philosophixing  as  to  when 
relijjion  began.  He  did  very  well  for  a  heathen,  but  so  far  as  this 
world  is  concerned,  religion  Ix^gan  when  (Jod  created  man.  Then  be- 
gan human  history  too;  and  civilization  also.  All  of  which  both  you 
and  I  should  know.  Angels  doubtless  worshipped  (iod  before  man  was 
created.  "And  when  He  again  brihgeth  in  the  first b(vrn  into  the  world 
He  saith,  "And  let  all  the  angels  of  God  worshi[)  him.""  (R.  V.  Heb. 
1  :G).  It  seems  thc^n  that  they  had,  as  a  second  commandment,  orders 
to  worship  the  Son  in  his  humanity,  which  embraced  all  the  ranks  of 
heaven — angels,  as  well  as  redeenxnl  from  the<'arth. 

The  Christian  religion — wbich  is  the  religion  of  re<lemption  in 
Christ  J esu.s — began  when  the  first  ho})e  of  pardon  was  held  out  to 
man.  Eve  and  Adam  were  the  first  that  sinned,  the  first  that 
repented,  the  first  forgiven.  The  gospel  of  mercy  was  first  preached 
to  them— the  first  of  sinners — in  tlie  first  promise  of  victory  given  to 
a   sinner,  and  that  through  another  rather  than    himself,  and   that 


2:t2. 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


cthor  was  Chrisl.  The  first  born  into  this  world  were  of  those  wlio  had 
sinned,  who  had  repented,  who  were  pardoned,  who  -^^V^^^^'.^^ 
Here  then  was  the  first  Ix-inninj,^  of  the  ^^ospel,  '^^^^'^'^;'^ 
first  victory  over  tlie  fear  of  death  and  the  .2:rav'e,  ^^s  first  trumph 
ever  the  serpent.  Yes,  Adam  and  Eve  were  the  first  to  behold  the 
banner  of  inimortality  aHoat  over  death. 

If  we  should  suppose  tliat  it  was  not  until  ^  '^^'^^^^f  P^•*t^^l^/,^"^ 
from  the  dead  that  life  and  innnortality  were  broucrht  to  li-ht  b>  the 
-ospel.  we  would  err  indeed,  -not  knowinir  the  ^crip  ures.  For 
Thev  teach  tiie  contrary  of  that.  It  was  realized  by  Abel,  /^^"f '\^"d 
Noah,  and  doubtless,  by  Adam  and  Eve,  of  course,  though  the  text 
does  not  positivelv  so  state.  And  to  all  the  saints  of  old,  no  doubt, 
who  waited  on  ihe  promise  of  deliverance  from  sm  and  it^curse.  ^ 

(CHAPTER  XIX. 

Thtrk  never  has  been  a  human  bein>(  unfolded  into  this  world. 
Tliev  all,  except  two,  Adam  and  Eve,  have  come  by  ^feneration  from 
parents;  have  been  borji  iiito  this  world.  As  the  Scriptures  say,  ''a 
man  is  born  into  the  worhl.""     (John  1G:2I). 

Xever  was  ihere  a  horse  unfolded  into  this  world.  They  have  all 
<-ome  by  j^'cneration.  except  those  created  at  first;  and  mules  came 
by  unnatural  ireneration  between  horses  and  asses.  The  Bible  does 
not  mention  anv  mules  nor  apes  as  beinjj:  created.  \Ye  know  how 
mules  came,  and  how  mulattoes  came,  and  by  parity  of  reasoning?, 
the  apes  may  have  come  by  a  cross  between  depraved,  wretched,  sav- 
ajje  human  beinj^s  an<l  bea'^ts.  A  thins:,  or  pracTH-e,  which  did  once 
exist,  for  the  Lord  so  declares,  and  forl)ids  it. 

If  to  jret  to  their  strMte<j:ic  point,  the  Darwins  have  to  reverse  all 
nature,  and  then  fail;  for  the  only  fact  of  a  sub-species  being  intro- 
duced, between  the  besotted  Africans  and  beasts,  perhaps — the  ape > 
j^pecies— for  this  is  the  only  sub-species,  if  it  be  one,  that  has  yet 
l)een  found  ;  all  the  others  they  write  about  are  only  supposed  to  have 
been — what  becomes  of  their  evolutionary  chain  of  beinjj? 

Never  was  there  a  cow,  nor  sheep,  nor  any  other  animal  unfolded 
into  this  world.  They  have  all,  except  the  fir^t,  descended  by  arenera- 
ation  from  those  of  the  same  kinds  which  lived  before  them.  We  know 
how  doj^s  and  cats,  and  rats  came.  And  all  other  animals,  from  the  least 
to  the  greatest,  came  in  the  same  way — by  generation  from  others  of 
the  same  species.  Even  all  through  the  insect  world,  they  came  by 
desce;it  from  the  same  species  before  them.  The  Creator  Himself, 
stocked  the  world  after  the  flood  by  generation,  instead  of  creation. 
Since  creation  this  has  been  the  one  method,  and  everybody  knows  it. 
It  is  true  that  some  naturalists  claim  that  some  of  the  lowest  forms 
of  animal  life,  in  certain  waters,  can  be  multiplied  by  buds  and  grafts 
from  the  parent  stocks,  as  certain  vegetables,  but  the  blood,  or  sap, 
takes  in  all  such,  the  place  of  the  seed  of  generation.  But  other  nat- 
uralists affirm  that  no  man  can  tell  where  tlie  animal  kingdom  ends, 
and  define  where  the  vegetable  kingdom  begins;  because  the  lines  of 


i 


»       / 


i 


( 


THE  STORY  OF  CREATION. 


2ii3. 


^m  ^?^      ■        '^'^'^''  /"  '^"^^  ^^'''^  ^^''y  ^^^^"^  '^  P^^take  of  both 

S?o  e  '  t^o.'"  H    ;"'  'Y  '^''''  '^"  "^^^  *^'"^^^^'  ^"  ^^'^'^^^  ^«  ^^^^^^^  them, 
bl^r     tV  '  ''^  '^'"  '''*  propagated  by  slips  nuiy  be  only  vegeta- 

lifn;.   V      ]{       ''''""'''  "^^^''^  ^^^^  ^''"^'^  ^f  generation,  as  we  showed 
o    H.f :  /i  "''"I'l  'P*^'^'^'  ^'"^  prescH-ved  in  them  all.     But  the  fact 

of  thLs  close  resemblance  of  the  two  great  divisions  of  nature  in  their 
aws  and  Fuitures    proves,  so  far  at  least  as  I  said  before,  that  nature 
IS  a  unity,      i he  (  reator  is  one.     Nature— His  creation— is  one. 

However  vast  this  great  expanse  all  around  us,  bestud  with  shin- 
ing worlds,  yet  the  nature  and  the  characteristics  of  everythin<r  in  it 
bears  as  much  resemblance  to  every  other  one  as  do  the  children  of  a 
common  parent;  and  is  in  high  evidence  of  what  the  Bible  claims, 
and  all  nature  tacitly  affirms  day  and  night  as  in  uttered  speech  the 
whole  earth  around,  that  (lod  is  the  (Creator  of  them  all.  (Ps.  19  :1-11). 

in  other  words,  the  principle  and  the  fact  of  epi-genesis  runs 
through  the  whole  of  the  animal  and  vegetable  kingdoms,  so  that  as 
the  Bible  and  nature  both  t(^ach  us,  (Jod,  who  was  the  Creator  of  all 
the  first  generation  in  both  kingdoms,  is  also  the  Creator  and  Maker 
of  all  and  of  every  one  in  each  successive  generations  in  both  kin«'- 
doms.  As  it  is  written,  "He  glveth  it  a  body  as  it  has  pleased  him.  and 
to  every  seed"— of  animal  or  vegetable— ''his  own  body.  '  (1  Cor. 
10  :fi8-:39-40).     A  thought  on  the  seeds  of  plants  will  illustrate  it. 

Now  let  any  man  think  he  can  see  that  syn-genesis  is  not  true  in 
grain  of  any  kind,  nor  in  cotton,  nor  in  flax,  nor  in  anything  else 
which  farmers  handle.  He  is  obliged  to  see  that  every  year  produces 
its  own  crop  of  seeds  of  all  kinds.  It  demonstrates  before  his  eyes, 
that  the  theory  of  some  evolutionists  called  syn-genesis  is  not  true. 
And  it  is  just  as  untrue  in  all  the  animal  kingdom. 

Every  one  springs  out  of  an  individual  germ  from  its  immediate 
parents  and  is  the  latest  copy  of  nature  from  that  .source;  which 
gives  it  distinct  individuality.  But  no  infant  is  unfolded  into  a 
luatured  man — a  fully  developed  being  of  either  sex — but  grows  into 
that  state  if  not  interrupted.  No  calf,  nor  lamb,  nor  pig,  nor  colt, 
nor  fawn  is  unfolded  into  adult  state,  but  grows  into  it  if  the  natural 
course  of  nature  is  not  prevented.  So  in  corn,  "first  the  blade,  then 
the  ear,  after  that  the  full  corn  in  the  ear."  (Mark  4:28).  And  just 
so  with  everything  that  grows.     It  is  nature's  law  of  development. 

Such  are  the  silent  lessons  of  nature  all  about  us,  as  in  the  Word 
of  God  plainly  writ.  And  if  Christian  scholars  should  yield  any  part 
of  Bible  ground  to  the  enemy  the  rest  would  be  less  easy  to  defend; 
but  if  all  is  held  as  the  Divine  Author  has  given  it  to  us,  every  part 
of  it  is  easily  defended. 

Now  let  the  critics  stop  a  bit. 

To  consider  the  teacliings  of  Holy  Writ ; 

Then  they  will  face  about. 

And  admit  the  case  is  made  out. 


TIN-;    KM). 


INDEX. 

PART   ONK. 

First    Day's  W'^rk, 

Second  Day's  Work, 

Third   Days  Work,     -------'-■-"     ^ 

Fourtli   Day's  Work,      -       -       - -       -       -      16 

Fifth   Days  Work, '^'^ 

Sixth  Days  Work, "     "  *^*^ 

The  Seventh   Day, ^^ 

4.0 
('reations   Week, 

Recapituhition, 

48 
Universal   Beini,'. 

I\\RT  TWO. 

Various  aririnnetits  drawn  from  the  Natural  World  showing  the 

airreejnent  of  Nature  Willi  the  Bible, 54--]5-i: 

K})iloii:ue. ^'^^ 

Ai)plieati(^n, 1*^* 

PART  TJIREK. 

Prehistoric  Times  and  Dawn  of  Civilization,  so  called,  discussed,  160 
Epilogue, -*»- 


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